With events like the bars, balance beam, and floor, gymnasts are required to master techniques that demand flexibility, balance, and strength. As they learn their jumps and flips, gymnasts can encounter serious injuries from falls or from overuse. The annual injury rate for gymnastics rivals that of high-contact sports like hockey and basketball.¹

Get Fit Tips from the NEBH Sports Performance Team

Gymnastics is a sport that requires incredible amounts of strength, flexibility, and balance/body control. Flexibility and shoulder and hip range-of-motion are vital components of training. Strong core strength, stability, and body control are also essential to avoid injuries and perform at a high level.

Though gymnastic training does not usually involve weights, gymnasts tend to have very high strength-to-weight ratios and power outputs. They accomplish this by performing body weight exercises such as pushups, pull ups, and various jumps.

Gymnastics is primarily an anaerobic event, but there is still an endurance aspect to competition. Endurance should be achieved through repetitive execution of one’s routine. All this high impact and repetition can cause acute sprains and strains, as well as overuse injuries.

Since most gymnasts begin training at a very young age, one area of vital concern is injuries to the growth plates due to the high impact stress of landings and jumps. These occur frequently in the wrists, but can occur in various joints throughout the body.

The need for proper rest and nutrition is vital to optimum performance. Often injuries and poor performance are warning signs of over-training, or poor sports nutrition.

Preventing Injuries

To help prevent injury, make sure you practice these general safety tips:

• Warm up and stretch before and after you participate in gymnastics.
• Make sure someone is spotting you when you’re learning new skills.
• Stay hydrated during practices and competitions.
• Take rest days to help reduce your chance of overuse injuries. Consult with your coach about additional ways to prevent overuse injuries.
• Review proper technique and participate in a conditioning course to strengthen your muscles, particularly ones statistically prone to injury.
• Avoid doing gymnastics when you’re injured, and maintain dialog with your coach and doctor about when you’ll be ready to return to the sport.
• Have a physical examination to make sure you’re healthy to compete.