Other forms of stretching like PNF, dynamic stretching, and others appear to be effective when regularly done, Consistency over intensity is a key concept everyone in gymnastics must follow. Strength Work to Opposite Side of Joint The research in the world of hip micro instability, labral tears, hip stress fractures, and other injuries commonly seen in gymnasts has been rapidly developing in the last decade. 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). Without an in-depth medical background to understand human anatomy, the risk to reward ratio of trying to stretch ligaments and joint capsules are incredibly high. So, what are some solutions to maybe moving away from aggressive stretching/ankle weights but still developing beast like leaps/jumps? Simultaneously, draw the foot at the back further behind you. Flash forward 7 years from that point, with much more education to use and well over 1000 gymnasts treated for medical issues. Duration of static stretching influences muscle force production in hamstring muscles. Cranking on their ankles to get more toe point may help to make skills look better, but may be increasing their subsequent injury risk. Traditional forms of these stretches may contribute to the development of an injury. I dove headfirst into the scientific literature over 2 years and starting playing around with many new methods in the gym and clinic. I think that by using correct stretching consistently over time (not into excessive pain or passive tissue damage) combined with strength in full range of motion. Do each stretching exercise at least 4 times each session. 95 97 In theory, it incorporates not only neural encoding but also motor skill acquisition and deliberate practice. The main articles that support this are, With this being said, there are definitely studies that claim changes to the mechanical properties of the muscle, tendon, and junction between these structures change overtime with stretching. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine 2014:5 13-24, Edwards SL, Bell JE, Bigliani LU. Instead, it may lead to the ligaments and joint capsules in the front or underside of the hips receiving more of the strain. Naturally tall kids may do well in sports like basketball or volleyball. This creates a huge range of mobility for the shoulder joint, but in exchange for inherently less stability. Its my opinion that using ankle weights under high speed (like in leaps, jumps, leg kicks, running, gymnastics skills/drills) willbe very challenging for gymnasts to control due to the long weighted lever arm. 0, No. The Hyper Flexible Hip: Managing Hip Pain in the Dancer and Gymnast. It is not always about the length of the muscle at one spot like the hip or shoulder that makes everything goes right. It provides full guides for male and female gymnasts to use. I can often see an appreciable change in the range of motion within only a few sessions, pending that gymnasts are dedicated to the follow-up a home program. Shibata KR, Mastuda S, Safran MR. Is there a distinct pattern to the acetabular labrum andarticular cartilage damage in the non-dysplastic hip with instability? Jargon Note The medical world typically refers to Flexibility as the maximum range of motion a joint can passively reach, including the length of all structures from the joint level to the soft tissue and neural level. Approaching this goes back to the chapter on why an interdisciplinary approach to the future of gymnastics is needed. It alsomay impact their ability to control landings and tumble leading to decreased performance. It has all become wildly popular in the last five years, and its starting to show up much more in the gymnastics community. Through very sophisticated mathematical models, they did show evidence of, a mechanistic multiscale model for stretch-induced sarcomereogenesis, in which chronic muscle lengthening is characterized through a scalar valued internal variable, the serious sarcomere number.. This is a central concept to the work my mentors Mike Reinold and Lenny Macrina teach their patients about, due to how much it changes their mobility. A growing body of research refutes these mechanical theories, suggesting instead that in subjects who are asymptomatic, increases in muscle extensibility observed immediately after a single stretching session, and after short-term (3-8 week) stretching regimes are predominantly due to modification in subjects sensation. (18). There is typically much less seen where gymnasts elbows are being stretched into hyper extension, but that also should be avoided. It may help improve range of motion acutely, but it will not change movement in a gymnastics skill-specific manner. I feel this naturally occurs over time but is amplified when stretching methods are misguided. However, my point is that in most cases with a gymnast (or many overhead athletes) we are looking to improve range of motion into this elevated position by improving the flexibility of specific soft tissues. The strips are cut in sections approximately 5'6" in length (approximately 170cm). 2012 May;40(2):8793. doi: 10.3810/psm.2012.05.1968. BMJ 2002;325:468. Many gymnasts struggle with excessively tight hip flexors, inner thighs, and quads. The majority of these articles theorize that the main reasons that stretching increases range of motion include. These ligaments more specifically are the medial and lateral arms of the iliofemoral ligament and the pubofemoral ligament. Within a few days of modification, advice from a qualified medical provider, and time to heal, issues may resolve quickly. The glute muscles, deep hip rotators, other surrounding hip muscles, and core are essential for hip safety and performance. Click here to read our full privacy policy. Like in the shoulder, natural mobility of the hip allows them to move through a greater motion. Soft Tissue care, specific stretching, and eccentrics can help male gymnasts get where they need to be. Considering what type of ankle work you are doing with a gymnast who has an injury history like this is important for coaches to think about. Wilk KE, Macrina LC, Reinold MM. Pausing for Practical Applications in Gymnastics Training I know readers feel real overwhelmed probably. I meet many well-intentioned gymnastics coaches and parents who are simply looking for an easy to use, but scientifically-backed flexibility program to help the gymnasts they know to increase their flexibility, reduce the risk of injury, and increase their performance. Elastic band openers, shoulder circles to mat laying on stomach, PNF techniques Scapular Muscles, Rotator Cuff, Core, etc. Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach 2(2) 2010. A commonly seen stretch in gymnastics is when the lower back of an athlete is excessively arched, or the pelvis is excessively tipped forward as depicted below. Cross-body shoulder stretch. 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. These cases are much less frequent in gymnastics but do exist. Despite our best efforts we may continue to see cast handstands that lack open shoulders, leaps that do not have larger angles, and parallel bar swings that lack a large front swing. Between coaching, treating, and consulting in gymnastics around the world, offering advice on flexibility has become a staple in my work. If the gymnast is already hanging out in a down and in position, they are predisposing themselves to continuously catch their over and over, leading to the re-occuring injury part mentioned above. In the long term, the increased strength of the upper back and follow up technique work will solidify the flexibility gains made. The way someones hips or shoulders are shaped, unique rotations of bones, certain anatomical variations, or issues along the entire body chain, can all have a substantial impact on the amount of flexibility a gymnast can display during skills. Glutes, Deep Hip Rotators, Core, etc. Cur Rev Musculoskelet Med. From looking at self- myofascial release and manual therapy literature reviews, this is thought to be through changes in perceived soreness, neurological relaxation, and possibly blood flow / water content shifting within the muscle. This is especially as recent research has shown that shoulder and hip injuries are one of the most common problems all gymnasts face. Effect of Stretch Frequency and Sex on the Rate and Gain and Rate of Loss in Muscle Flexibility During a Hamstring Stretching Program: A Randomized Single-Blind Longitudinal Study. I feel to see a notable lasting change in the range of motion that shows up in gymnastics skills, we have to approach the entire movement system with our mobility work, and not just aim to improve the range of motion seen. I often give these circuits for shoulder or hip flexibility assigned as homework before practice or at home. Ben M., Harvey LA. The Young Injured Gymnast: A Literature Review and Discussion. Ehmke, R. S. (2006). It also stretches your hamstrings. It has been great to see so many great surgeons, healthcare providers, and strength coaches share their thoughts and describe what still needs to be considered. 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.. Herbert RD, Gabriel M. Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: a systematic review. Second, most times there are a lack of pre and post-tests (line splits, checking objective shoulder flexibility screen against a wall) to see if what is being used for exercises is effective. Tumbl Trak Athlete Wellness and Recovery Kit, Front splits, straddle splits, handstands and pommel horse/parallel bar flexibility, Downloadable checklists to use at practice, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4295707/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6322373/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945046/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26944667, https://shiftmovementscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Book-Cover.jpg, The Ultimate Gymnastics Flexibility Guide, Tom Meadows on Developing Elite Male Gymnasts and His Best Coaching Advice, Helping Gymnastics Coaches Stay Happy In The Gym and Change Their Cultures. Andrews, J., Reinold, M., Wilk, K. The Athletes Shoulder. As mentioned, the important take away here is to focus on things we can change, like the muscles themselves. Med Sci Sports Exerc. In Jeffreys I., Moody J. Place your hands beside your hips on either side. Unfortunately, I feel the load at the end of the limb may contributemore tothe forceful hip impingement, and also contribute more to the fulcrum based instability/subluxation stretching the soft tissue and possibly irritating the hip joint. Many medical assessments can be used to determine why a gymnasts hip, shoulder or spine may not have the range of motion needed to achieve a full handstand, split, or bridge. Many of them tell me that they try searching online, going to clinics or camps, and asking around at gyms about how to help, only to become significantly overwhelmed. Other more naturally stiff individuals who excel in other sports may have a tighter shirt sleeve. This is not always the case, but the vast majority of young gymnasts fall into this category once you move past the recreational level. Cordasco FA. Before you apply new flexibility ideas, take a step back and consider the scientific rationale behind them. In support of this, my experiences working with hundreds of gymnasts to improve flexibility also supports the use of regular stretching and foam rolling for the range of motion, perceived soreness, and perceived recovery, with minimal negative impacts on performance. It is way beyond the scope of this text to breakdown all these different anatomical variants, but the reader must be aware of the simple fact that not all gymnasts hips are the same. The hip stretch routine below is a sequence of exercises designed to help you overcome the most common restrictions so that you can start moving the way you want and need to. Routledge: New York. In this setting, we are looking to ramp down the body and assist in recovery (known as facilitating parasympathetic tone). However, more recent research has supported the idea that foam rolling and properly designed dynamic warm-ups prior to training appear to have no significant negative effects on performance, may enhance it, and also positively impact the range of motion in various muscle groups (49-50). Its not that we want to freak out every time someone is reporting discomfort in a split. People assume that progress is being made, rather than having some comparative baseline for observing changes. Also adding in regular soft tissue work and mobility drills would be very important. 1-13. I suggest these to outline the complexity of the human body, in hopes that people are more cautious in some flexibility decisions they make. Epub 2016 Nov 14. The gymnast is depending on those static stability structures because they probably have issues related to their muscles and nervous system not being able to assist withdynamic stability. When used in the right context, it can augment the flexibility needed for advanced leaps or jumps, inbar skills, and tumbling mechanics. Clin Sports Med 30 (2011) 349-367. If someone is continuing to struggle with hip mobility, rather than just pushing more take a step back and consider this concept. 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. 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. Especially in gymnasts, the changes in sensitivity of nerves that transmit pain, and also reductions in stretch reflexes likely are the main mechanisms. Picture 3 is a lat stretch where the athlete sits The science must be blended with expert coaching opinion and consistency in training. Another study by Konrad et al (29) took thirty healthy men ages around 21 and subjected them to 4 sets of 30 second calf stretches. Again, these are just my thoughts. Now let me tie this into why I no longeruse of ankle weights. There are some times when we are aiming to just get the body going, and other times when we are looking to truley increase joint range of motion. Both skills allow the spine, shoulders and hips to bend while the body is in continual motion. This simple change in the stretch, along with follow up work, tends to make large progress in gymnasts who cannot progress in their overhead flexibility. It is a physical activity that can be developed professionally, but can also be practiced generally for recreation or as a personal exercise routine. 2013l 8(5) 601 616, Hart E., et al. Its not that these are bad, but there needs to be equal amount of hamstring, glute, and deep hip external rotator work as well. The goal is to make hand contact with the wall. 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. I do not feel they working as intended to address the true problem of muscular soft tissue stiffness. Moving from here, I will start covering specific joints and ways to help. A paper by Weppler / Magnussun in 2010 (find it here, A paper by Ben / Harvey in 2010 (find it here, A reduction in the amount of stiffness or compliance within muscles (viscoelasticity), although likely transient, An increase in the length of contractile units within muscles (sarcomeregenesis) especially if eccentrics are used, Increases in the water content, blood flow, and temperature within muscles acutely, A 2018 systematic review by Thomas et al (, The issue is not with use of stretching. Right and Left Leg Split on Line The next most common question people ask me in this discussion is, what about ankle weights, are those bad for gymnasts hips?. I will get a bit nerdy outlining the mechanisms, but then I will offer a practical application type summary for people to apply in training. (25). If you look down at your arm (and are wearing a shirt) your actual arm within the shirt sleeve represents the first golf ball on a tee bony layer, and the shirt sleeve surrounding the arm represents the second layer made up of joint capsules and ligaments. The research in ballet dancers made me reconsider what must happen at the hip joint go to achieve such large ranges of motion needed for oversplits. Does it make sense to take a gymnast who go theirinjury in the first place by rolling her ankle down and in and stretch the down portion more? (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. 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. I recommend athletes start with light soft tissue prep or individual areas of focus before practice, then do a joint based preparation, followed by some light cardio to increase metabolic temperature and heart rate, and then do a full dynamic warm-up. Although I know having a fantastic toe point is something all gymnasts and coaches strive for, I personally feel that gymnasts with wobbly ankles or have a history of inversion ankle sprains shouldnt be getting this cranked on. Paralleled to the shoulder, the hip joint is made up of the socket (acetabulum) and the upper thigh bone (femur), with the femoral head serving as the ball. The hip is a bit opposite of this, having a deeper socket with more joint congruency. This second layer of joint capsule and ligaments helps provide more stability to the joint, with different portions of the capsule limiting certain ranges of motion. For me, I think the discussion must start with the intended goal of the flexibility work. These gymnasts typically have natural flexibility but may struggle to build strength and power during training. Increasing muscle extensibility: a matter of increasing length or modifying sensation? Beardsley C, Skarabot J. That said, there are certainly changes in muscle stiffness, as well as the length of a muscle, again when appropriately used stretching methods are used. Epub 2014 Apr 10. This means not only for the ankle joint, but also the rest of leg chain all the way up to the hip and lower back. zerofive 43 foot vertical 10 160m. The muscles of the shoulder blade and upper back are often not nearly as developed as the chest and underarm muscles mentioned above. Yamaguchi T1, Ishii K, Yamanaka M, Yasuda K. Acute effect of static stretching on power output during concentric dynamic constant external resistance leg extension.J Strength Cond Res. Int J Sports Med. They should not produce discomfort on the top of the shoulders, which is more indicative of rotator cuff or soft tissue impingement under the coracoacromial arch. I typically have gymnasts perform moderate pressure that does not cause pain, for 10-30 seconds per muscle group, away from bony areas. (3). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Huang R, Diaz C, Parvizi J. Acetabular Labral Tears: Focused Review of Anatomy, Diagnosis, and Current Management . Lats, Teres Major, Pec Major and Minor, Thoracic Spine, etc. They ended up finding changes in range of motion for both groups, with more changes to the muscle tendon stiffness in the Hold Relax group. (46-48). Most gymnasts in general (and especially people with chronic ankle sprains) tend to hang out in this position at rest. 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