Newsletter
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Tumbling into Trouble
In a five year study of seventy nationally recognized gymnasts, sixty-six major injuries were sustained. How can injuries be minimized?
Can you name the ten roughest sports? For me football, hockey or even soccer come to mind. But I bet gymnastics would not make the top ten. However Now that’s a rough sport.
In gymnastics the general pattern of injury rate increases with skill and experience. So the better you are, the more hazardous the sport. So the question becomes, how can injuries be minimized? The answer: upper extremity strengthening and respect for pain, are of utmost importance.
First, let’s imagine a floor routine with the beautiful extension of a cartwheel…elbows locked, wrists and hands pushing off with enough force to turn you right side up only to continue with a more difficult, more forceful maneuver. Gymnasts use their elbows and wrists in positions of extension to hold their body weight. Bicep strengthening must be initiated to control the tendency of the elbow to hyperextend causing repetitive damage to the olecranon process (funny bone) or even dislocation. Likewise the wrist flexors, flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris must be strengthened to prevent ligament injury from hyperextension. Wrist curls and reverse curls beginning with one pound and progressing to three pounds are a good way to start.
Now let’s move to the second half of the routine, respecting pain. Gymnasts tend to compete with no regard for pain. Who can forget Kerri Strug in the 1996 Olympics? The room cringed at the dismount she tried so elegantly to hold and maintain. Rest and ice become an important element to practice. Splinting can also assist in wrist protection and as a reminder to balance safety with repetitive stress.
So next time you turn a cartwheel, swing on the monkey bars or do a handstand applaud those little elbow and wrist muscles that make it possible!
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Ankle Braces versus Ankle Taping
Jumping into Plyometrics
Preventing ACL Injuries
Speed Skaters Benefit from World Class Care
Jumpers Knee
Protective Equipment--Do Athletes Need It?
Swimming with Strong Shoulders
Tumbling into Trouble
Shoulder Injuries in Overhead Sports
The Female Athlete Triad
Preventing Golf Injury
Off Season Preparations for Athletes
Proper Pitching Mechanics Can Prevent Shoulder Injuries
Shin Splints
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6th Annual
sports medicine symposium
and golf outing
Thursday, August 3rd, 2006
Mark your calendars for our 6th Annual Sports Medicine Symposium and Golf Outing. Once again, the event will be held at Windwood Country Club in Watertown. This FREE symposium will include information to help coaches succeed at all levels of competition. Once the symposium is over, join us for a FREE lunch, and a FREE 9 holes of golf.
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Speed and Agility Camp
Starting June 12th through July 28th
6 weeks excluding the week of July 3rd through July 7th
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Cost: $110
WAHS Sports Medicine believes that speed, agility, and conditioning are essential to athletic success. In order to help you achieve your full potential, our highly trained performance enhancement staff at WAHS Sports Medicine has developed a 6 week speed and agility camp.
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Functional Strength and Power Camp
Starting June 13th and ending July 27th
Excludes week of July 3rd through July 7th
Tuesdays and Thursdays
9:00 AM– 10:30 AM
Cost: $85
WAHS Sports Medicine has developed challenging, functional, and effective alternative to weightlifting. Unlike traditional weightlifting, the camp integrates traditionally proven exercises as well as advanced exercises to work all muscle groups in unison, thereby increasing overall strength, power and coordination, while decreasing the risk of injury.
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Related Links
Careers:
www.nata.org National Athletic Trainers Association
www.apta.org American Physical Therapist Association
Health and Injury Information:
www.acsm.org American College of Sports Medicine
www.ncaa.org National Collegiate Athletic Association
www.wiaawi.org/health/nutrition Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic
Association
www.gssiweb.com Gatoraide Sports Science Institiute
www.iasm.com Institute for Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine
www.physsportsmed.com The Physician & Sports Medicine
www.ORTHOsupersite.com The Orthopaedics Supersite
www.sportsdentistry.com Academy for Sports Dentistry
www.aapsm.org American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
www.biausa.org Brain Injury Association of America
www.subtlebraininjury.com Subtle Brain Injury Website
www.sportsmedresources.com Sports Medicine Resources Website
www.asmi.org American Sports Medicine Institute
www.ortho-u.net Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics
www.lightningsafety.com National Lightning Safety Institute
www.webmd.com WebMD
www.nocsae.org National Operating Committee on Standards for
Athletic Equipment
Strength and Conditioning:
www.athleticsearch.com Athletic Search on Web
www.nsca-lift.org National Strength and Conditioning Association
www.nasm.org National Academy of Sports Medicine
www.coaching.usolympicteam.com Olympic E-Coach Magazine
www.ncsf.org National Council of Strength & Fitness
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