How Does a Gymnast Protect Their Joints?

Gymnastics is a complex sport, and competitive gymnasts often train four to six hours a day. Weight-bearing stress that is placed on gymnasts for many upper-body skills, along with the twisting, flipping and landing skills that place strain on the lower body, make gymnasts more susceptible to joint injuries. Proper preparation, apparel and rest are important for a gymnast looking to avoid joint damage.

  1. Preparing for Gymnastics

    • Gymnasts warm up and stretch before any workout. Running in place or performing jumping jacks for five to 10 minutes helps increase the heart rate and warms the muscles. Warm muscles stretch better, and stretching increases the range of motion for muscles and body parts. Gymnasts spend 15 to 60 seconds holding stretches for every major muscle group and body part; they'll stretch out their wrists, too, to loosen up wrist joints and muscles.

    Equipment and Apparel

    • Gymnastic facilities should always be well maintained. Gymnast should not perform on apparatus or equipment that is unstable, such as worn mats and uneven floors, or areas that look hazardous, such as apparatus that are too close together or unsteady beams and bars. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a variety of footwear can be worn to help prevent injury on various gymnastics apparatus. Gymnasts often use shoes for the floor exercise and for the balance beam that support the joint in their ankles and feet.Gymnasts protect the joints in their upper body by wearing safety gear such as hand grips and wrists guards. These are permissible on apparatus such as the rings, horizontal bar, uneven bars, parallel bars and pommel horse.

    Recovery and Rest

    • Gymnasts also stretch after their workouts. Stretching after a workout can prevent stiffness and aid in recovery. Lactate builds up during the anaerobic activity used in performing many conditioning exercises and routines on apparatus. Stretching every major muscle group and body part will decrease this buildup and prevent soreness. Gymnasts require a healthy sleep regimen. Competitive gymnasts sleep at least eight hours a night and will go to bed and wake up at the same time every day due to their strict regimen.

    Considerations

    • Gymnasts practice in the presence of a coach or a trained professional. Coaches help gymnasts practice correct form, land properly and complete difficult skills, which helps decrease the risk of injury. Gymnasts often work with physical therapists, chiropractors and doctors to help prevent and treat joint pain.