Gymnastics Injury Research Paper

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“Each year, more than 86,000 gymnastics-related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. Gymnasts must consistently prepare for the rigorous physical and emotional toils that the sport requires. With the complexity of routines, the risk of potential injury increases. Most injuries occur in the ankles, feet, lower back, knees, wrists, and hands, often from overuse or simple stress” (Gymnastics Injury Prevention).
Because these injuries can end a season or career, there are many ways to prevent and care for a gymnastics injury.
In gymnastics there are many types of injuries that can occur.
First of all, one of the main type of injury that can occur is lower body injuries, which include knee, …show more content…

Low back pain will usually worsen with activity. The lower back pain will especially worsen with extension movements (Gymnastics Injury Prevention.The pain usually responds well with physical therapy exercises and rest. For this pain it’s accepted for a gymnast to return to action when they are pain free.“Because the upper body is used as a weight-bearing joint in gymnastics, injuries to the shoulder, elbow, and wrist are very common.”According to Children’s Hospital Orthopedics Institute “wrist pain is extremely common, affecting between 70 to 80% of gymnasts.” Gymnasts have to use a lot of upper body in the sport which causes strain to the wrist. Some children start gymnastics as early as 3. When a child has to use so much upper body as they are growing it can cause problems. “In a growing child, the open growth plate in the wrist is very vulnerable to injury, and gymnasts can develop what we call “gymnast’s wrist,” or a stress fracture to the growth plate.” Beside young children any age gymnast can develop a wrist injury. Most of the time any gymnast may return when they are mainly pain free. Lateral elbow pain can be caused by Osteochondritis Dissecans. “It is a condition in which the bone that supports the cartilage of a joint softens. This softening is caused by an interruption in the blood flow to that portion of the bone.” If Osteochondritis Dissecans is left untreated it can lead to …show more content…

RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, elevation. The rest means to take some time off from the sport. Always rest the injured body part for 1 to 2 days after the injury occurs. If the injury is serious, a healthcare provider will decide how much rest is right. The I in RICE stands for ice. “Ice helps control swelling and inflammation around the injured area. Ice should be put on an injury as soon as possible. Putting ice on early usually helps the injury heal faster.” Ice should never be put directly on the injury. Wrap the ice in a paper towel or a towel. A cold bag of vegetables or even a cold water bottle will work. Compression is meant to help limit the swelling, it also provides extra support to the injury. Using trainer’s tape, elastic bandage, or even a cloth will work. But make sure whatever is used is not wrapped too tightly. Elevation is another way to decrease swelling, but with the help of gravity. Try to keep the injured part above the heart. This helps the blood go back to the heart which helps stops swelling. If the injured part of the body can not get above the heart, keep it parallel to the ground. RICE should be used during the first 24 to 48 hours of an injury. In addition, physical therapy can help a gymnast or athlete recover from an injury and avoid future injury. “A physical therapist can help reduce pain

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