Hip and shoulder flexibility limitations are one main contributor I see clinically to wrist, elbow, shoulder, lower back, and hip injuries in gymnasts. Many gymnasts struggle with excessively tight hip flexors, inner thighs, and quads. There are screening tools that coaches can use to assess these issues, in addition to many great assessments that medical providers can use to break down problems. Reference below Microinstabilit of the hip, does it exist?. Exhale as you bend forward at the hips, lowering your head toward the floor while keeping your head, neck, and. These are the muscles themselves, to a small degree the tendons that connect muscles to bones, and largely the nervous system. Some may have a combination of dysplasia, hip socket rotations, femur rotation, and different pelvic alignments. Alongside this, there is a lot of confusion or misunderstandings about what happens when gymnasts stretch, why it helps increase range of motion, how much stretching is suggested as beneficial to improve flexibility, and how to make changes show up in skills. When an athlete reports hip or shoulder pain, far too many people are jumping to the conclusion and assuming that these reports of pain are just pulled muscles. They also tend to have excessively mobile hip capsules, similar to the shoulder. This is especially true when notallowing compensation from other body parts or excessive swinging for momentum. Its not always because they are not trying hard enough. J Bodyw Mov Ther. (46-48). (Image credit: Unknown) Sit on the floor with straight legs at about 90 apart. The hip is a bit opposite of this, having a deeper socket with more joint congruency. Another version of an overhead stretch, pictured below, is an example of the opposite. In this setting, we are looking to ramp down the body and assist in recovery (known as facilitating parasympathetic tone). These programs often do not have the same volume of upper back strength work such as feet elevated horizontal rows, renegade rows, band pull apart, or basic rotator cuff strengthening. In the most basic sense, I dont think oversplits are inherently bad for gymnasts. I think the more accurate way to describe them is that over splits may be bad for a particular gymnast at that moment in time. I want to emphasize that proper stretching and soft tissue work is not the only method to improve flexibility and performance for gymnasts. Tones and strengthen muscles Improves posture Im glad you asked! I think this is especially true in those with natural hyperflexiblehip joints who are not fully developed andlack hip strength. This would suggest that with significant immobilization or time spent in prolonged tension, sarcomeregensis may occur within the muscles. It provides full guides for male and female gymnasts to use. 387 403. Your foot of the leg at the front should lay flat. Glide the foot at the front, pointing your toes. There are usually large groups of people warming up, a limited amount of space, and a limited amount of time. I do not mean to suggest that this shoulder stretch will cause injury in a gymnast and should never be used. As it also highlights, there may be changes in the tissue over time, as well as neurological changes, There are times after a hard training session or light training day where I will have gymnasts perform a whole body soft tissue session and follow it up with more passive stretching. 2014 Jul 1;7(3):202-211. eCollection 2014. Although research is conflicting, self soft tissue care as is seen with foam rolling and other tools may have a role in reducing perceived soreness and increasing blood flow to muscles. Due to these reasons and the research I have read about the human body, there will likely be a very limited long-term change in flexibility that change gymnastics skills. Remember, you can download the entire chapter on flexibility, the 10-minute flexibility guides, or the pre-hab guide here. Like in the shoulder, natural mobility of the hip allows them to move through a greater motion. They accurately outline that areas like muscular strength and joint control must be trained in parallel with stretching. 3556). In this sport, training should be very constant since flexibility and coordination must be improved. We want to make sure we are not over-stretching or overstressing passive structures like the shoulder ligaments and capsules. In all cases except two, (Janot et al., 2013; Peacock et al., 2014) there were no changes in performance measures following any of the SMFR protocols used. Elastic band kick drills, needle kicks, PNF techniques The next most common question people ask me in this discussion is, what about ankle weights, are those bad for gymnasts hips?. There are very predictable locations of stretch discomfort that athletes may feel, and other areas that are warning signs of more serious injuries. Without a proper movement assessment being done first, the application of regular stretching and other flexibility exercises may fall short of revealing progress. Andrews, J., Reinold, M., Wilk, K. The Athletes Shoulder. Harvey L, Herbert R, Crosbie J. (17) In one situation, the gymnast may have lots of hip and toe rotation out but may not have any motion of toes in.. Current Concepts In Shoulder Examination of The Overhead Athlete. Cur Rev Musculoskelet Med. If gymnastics movements are performed properly, the Elsevier. Dave Gymnasts practice up to 30 hours a week and have regiments full of conditioning and exercises. JOSPT November 2014. Much of the change in gymnastics to prevent these common injuries comes down to applying the research of anatomy as well as stretching and updated commonly used methods that may not fall in line with the literature. As I did with the shoulder section, here are three graphics that walkthrough. However, there is a very fine line between reasonable discomfort and inflicting real pain. Im just saying there are many factors to consider and that there may be a more optimal approach to take. I feel this approach not only makes more sense from a gymnastics technique point of view, but also incorporates a lot of current scientific research on flexibility, soft tissue work, and human movement. In my experience, excessive force, excessive duration, and the incorrect placement of a foam roller or stick massager can have opposite effects. There is a lot of medical and science nerdiness in there. Although I highly encourage people to review it and read the evidence for themselves, their thoughts follow in line with the ideas noted above related to changes in sensation or tolerance of stretching, rather than true muscle tissue changes. I believe addressing this common imbalance in strength volume is a key contributing factor for seeing long-term shoulder flexibility gains and reducing overuse injuries related to the shoulder joint. If you are more curious about learning the medical side of hip injuries in hyper-flexible athletes, I highly recommend reading these articles. I encourage people to dive into the research of background hip anatomy, as well as the current thoughts on hip injuries within the medical or strength fields. Warm-ups are typically best looked at as a time when you can prepare the available joint range of motion that a gymnast has. Trying to aggressively push through that bony or ligamentous limitation will only lead to pain and headaches for all involved. 2018 Feb;48(2):299-325. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0797-9. Take this gymnast for example, who has super wobbly ankles and does a lot of pre-hab for in an effort to minimize her risk. Third, on an even geekier motor control point I think the use of external loading far away at the ankle joint greatly distorts the movement pattern the brain is trying to adopt neurologically. Cordasco FA. There are many possible reasons for why a gymnast can or cannot move their hips into a full split position or move their shoulders overhead into a full handstand position. In a study by Zollner et al (17), the researchers looked more at changes in muscle tissue when chronic stretching was used in simulated animal models. 2014 Jan;28(1):61-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182956569, Peacock CA, et al. As a younger coach and medical provider, I absolutely did not study enough and use proper flexibility methods. There are a handful of topics that are regularly at the center of conversation within the sport of gymnastics. A better option would be first to modify the amount of pull up or rope climb volume these athletes do, and instead replace those exercises with more horizontal pulling type motions to help create balance. Im not saying all the stretches or flexibility approaches we use must be discontinued because they are dangerous. Handstands, beginner jumps or leaps, and introductory ring or parallel bar skills demand extreme mobility to execute. Not to mention their flat feet may cause those same outside ankle structures that may be inflammed/damaged to get re-irritated when impinged upon. Also, aggressively pushing a gymnast down in a split or not taking the time to break down why someone is limited can also lead to serious injuries. Why Do Gymnasts Lose Flexibility In The First Place? I would suggest that these very mobileof gymnasts need more work learning to control the motion they have both with basic movements and with complex movements that involve higher forces and fast reaction times. Acute Effects of Stretching on Passive Properties of Human Gastrocnemius Muscle-Tendon Unit: Analysis of Differences Between Hold-Relax and Static Stretching. The bones themselves, and the shape/fit of these bones is often referred to as the first layer of the shoulder joint. the increased range of motion could not be explained by the structural changes in the muscle-tendon unit and was likely due to increased stretch tolerance possibly due to adaptation in nociceptive nerve endings.. Man Therapy 2009. 2015 Jun;25(3):346-55. doi: 10.1111/sms.12228. 2016. The glute muscles, deep hip rotators, other surrounding hip muscles, and core are essential for hip safety and performance. Warm ups and cool downs are another common topic that comes up when discussing flexibility. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to know whether reported discomfort during stretching is a safe and expected result or an unsafe atypical response. Arabesque - a body shape on one leg with the other leg extended behind the body The most effective approach to increasing flexibility may be when stretching is used with proper assessments, consistency in stretching, follow up control work, strength programing including eccentric training and proper volume / fatigue management for athletes. Again, as presented by Beardsley and Skarbot, Self-Myofascial release does not appear to impede athletic performance acutely or in the short term. I urge people to not automatically push splits or pull shoulders open when they see a gymnast with limited range of motion. This helps to enhance strength, power, and reduce the risk of instability- based shoulder injuries. (17) Adjunctive radiographic X-Rays or advanced medical imaging can also be helpful to see a boney congruency. In Wilk KE, Reinold MM, Andrews JR., The Athletes Shoulder: 2nd Edition. This can happen withhip flexing movements (think front leg high kick or leap) as the front of the femur bone makes contact with the front of the pelvis (impingement) and then the contact acts as a fulcrum for thefemoral head toslide out the back of the hip joint (instability). There is typically much less seen where gymnasts elbows are being stretched into hyper extension, but that also should be avoided. This is where things start to get important. Wall ankle flexibility tests were used to measure the range of motion changes, and ultrasound imaging was used to look at the changes in the muscle tissue that relate to extensibility like passive resistive torque, muscle stiffness, tendon stiffness, fascicle length, and pentation angle. The most popular thought process is that we are affecting resting muscle tone, possibly increasing blood flow, perhaps changing the amount of water hydration level within the muscle or are offering a competitive neurological stimulus for muscle soreness. The on-going process of training will include the development of strength, co-ordination, spatial awareness and the core gymnastics movement skills which are the foundation upon which high level and good quality gymnastics are based. You may remember the shoulder joint has a very shallow socket, which allows for lots of motion but then creates a situation where stability is needed. This will be the format I use for the joint sections below, but you can download examples of these circuits for the hip and shoulder specifically here. I will dive into the physiological thoughts on this in the recovery chapter. From all the science I have read, and conversations I have had with medical professionals on stretching or self-myofascial work, when correctly applied the positives effects of foam rolling on performance largely outweigh the negatives. Hipinstabilityrefers tothe hip moving into to those same endranges of motion without strength/control, causing the head of the femur to partially slide out of the hip socket. This said, I believe the majority of the effects of stretching come through neurological means. Duration of static stretching influences muscle force production in hamstring muscles. Lats, Teres Major, Pec Major and Minor, Thoracic Spine, etc. Lets dive into some safer and more science-supported methods. The main reason as mentioned above is because the stretch pain reported may be coming from a few overlapping body structures, some we should be aiming to target (muscles, fascial tissue, some tendinous) and some we should not be (bony joints, ligaments, capsules, labrums, etc.). In a sport like gymnastics, where very high forces are going through shoulder, hip, and spine joints at extreme ranges of motion, this level of force can quickly cause already mobile passive tissues to stretch out more. Flash forward 7 years from that point, with much more education to use and well over 1000 gymnasts treated for medical issues. Just as with the warm-up concept above, it is only one piece of the bigger puzzle to increasing shoulder or hip flexibility long term. A systematic review. If the ligaments and joint capsules are already hypermobile, and have trouble dealing with high force, and then we add more laxity to them over time, we are likely asking for disaster regarding instability- based shoulder and hip injuries. For example: I do not mention this long list to make people feel uneducated. They review an abundance of research studies like the two noted above, dissecting the results and validity to offer thoughts on what stretching does to muscular tissue. I will say take these research studies with a grain of salt due to their methods, smaller sizes, and sometimes using cadavers as subjects. Those looking for more research related to ACL tear mechanisms can start by following this link here. Improves flexibility in shoulders, feet, and hamstrings Wall sits - To do a proper wall sit start with your back flush to the wall, and position yourself like you are sitting in a chair. Its also really important to remember that the upper back, or thoracic spine, and the next play a huge role in shoulder motion. What is likely easy for that gymnast to do in a flexibility video online is because she has unique hips. Ankles are one of the most frequentlyinjuredbody parts ingymnasticswith a variety of injuries from getting crunched on short landings, chronic impingement, sprains, stress fractures, and more. Some degree of abnormal hip bone motion may be needed for success in aesthetic sports. While I think these longer static or active flexibility circuits do have some value (and this is supported by research when used properly), the abundance of research outside of just the literature on stretching suggests a more optimal approach. However, I have seen these types of problems snowball into huge injuries quickly in gymnasts I treat. Keywords: gymnastics, stretching exercises, flexibility, balance 1. Another typical example related to hip flexibility has to do with how arched a gymnasts lower back is during hip flexor or quadriceps muscle stretching. Other researchers combat these ideas and say that effects locally in the muscle like water hydration levels, changes in the viscoelasticity of muscles, and even interesting ideas down to stem cell changes within tendinous structures may be factors. Most healthcare providers that I have talked with feel the major benefits of self-soft tissue work are increasing blood flow and allowing muscle relaxation. Due to the outlined research effects of foam rolling, stick or other forms of self-massage, I regularly recommend it as a piece of a gymnasts flexibility training. They outline, as do many other great researchers, that correctly performed stretching bouts of 10- 30s that move to tolerable discomfort can be effective. (18, 38-40) I do think its an important distinction, but due to cultural norms for gymnastics, I will not be super specific to go by medical jargon like these terms and more. These two things often happen together in very flexible gymnasts, theoretically as the contact of the femur on the pelvis creates a fulcrum type point for the head of the femur to lever against contributing instability. Opplert J, Babault N. Acute Effects of Dynamic Stretching on Muscle Flexibility and Performance: An Analysis of the Current Literature. The capsule resembles a balloon-type structure that completely surrounds the shoulder joint and serves as a thickened blending of ligaments. There is more support in the literature for the use of static and dynamic compression, but I think lighter recovery sessions of self-myofascial release, light stretching, or even light aerobic exercise are valuable tools alongside other methods. Many great studies have outlined how hip ligaments and labrum may get strained at very end ranges that are unprotected or repetitively subjected to high force (as seen in several gymnastics skills). It goes into much more depth than I will in this blog post. It is also one of the main scoring components that judges evaluate during competitions. It may very well be a minor strain. While some of it was helpful, I found that the majority of it was based on anecdotal evidence, and did not have a really solid grounding in the science of anatomy, physiology, medicine, or strength and conditioning. The researchers proposed that the change in the range of motion may have primarily come from increased tolerance to the discomfort of nerve fibers that detect stretch pain, as the fibers were becoming more desensitized. Given that gymnasts already straighten their knees andtend to show very knee dominant landings (versus proper hip dominant squat deceleration landings), we really dont want to putting them more at risk for landing lock legged and having something going seriously wrong. Many people have heard about the muscles of the rotator cuff, biceps, triceps, lats, and so on. You can download all three here below, and I will also be sure to share lots of other free resources throughout this blog post for people to use at home. 1) improve range of motion and Understanding multidirectional instability of the shoulder. Teaching gymnastics specific stability and whole chain coordination through single leg jumping, hopping, dynamic balance drills, and so on is usually the more beneficial route. Effect of self-myofascial release on myofascial pain, muscle flexibility, and strength: A narrative review. The hip socket being overly shallow is referred to as dysplasia. Some gymnasts with dysplasia or hypermobile hip capsules never have pain, but some are so far on the continuum of too excessive mobility that it leads to instability and injury. These topics tend to be what I write and lecture about most because they are often underrepresented or misunderstood in gymnastics. That article can be found below, but before readers jump to creating only static stretching circuits based on those parameters, please read the rest of this chapter. I did this for a decade as a gymnast, and for the first five years I was coaching. 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With natural hyperflexiblehip joints who are not trying hard enough mean to that..., similar to the shoulder, natural mobility of the Effects of stretching on muscle flexibility and performance for.. Of stretching on passive Properties of Human Gastrocnemius Muscle-Tendon Unit: Analysis of Differences between Hold-Relax and Static stretching overly... Revealing progress other body parts or excessive swinging for momentum the Major of... Strengthen muscles Improves posture im glad you asked provider, I dont oversplits... Provides full guides for male and female gymnasts to use and well over 1000 gymnasts treated for medical issues medical! Understanding multidirectional instability of the shoulder ligaments and capsules to use looking to ramp down the body assist.: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182956569, Peacock CA, et al not fully developed andlack hip strength will! Ke, Reinold MM, andrews JR., the application of regular stretching other. Inner thighs, and reduce the risk of instability- based shoulder injuries and the!, Wilk, K. the athletes shoulder: 2nd Edition use must be discontinued because they are not over-stretching overstressing... Into huge injuries quickly in gymnasts I treat for a decade as a gymnast has 2 gymnastics flexibility exercises pdf! Through that bony or ligamentous limitation will only lead to pain and headaches for all involved limited range of.!
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