Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2004. Right and Left Leg Split on Line 21, 788-792. Long-standing hip micro instability is another concern that may be created without the proper training approach. In simpler terms, I think that ankle weights make the skill very different compared to just the weight of the leg, and dont accurately represent/have transferred to nonweighted leaps. 3556). The larger changes related to global training design, may be more involved. 115-122, Reinold MM, Curtis AS. 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. By using a variety of drills that include the basic movements (hip extension, shoulder flexion with rotation, etc.) We take our privacy seriously and will never share your information. There are many other important tools such as proper strength training, eccentrics, managing workloads, and regular mobility work that must be considered and used as well, as they are supported by research, Movement assessments are essential to seeing progress with flexibility, Screening, soft tissue care, stretching, strength work, eccentrics, and gymnastics specific drills should all be used in flexibility programs, Cutting edge soft tissue, strength, and active flexibility techniques for splits, handstands, and shapes, Practical traditional stretching methods combined with latest scientific research, Techniques for increasing flexibility, and making changes transfer to gymnastics skills, A reduction in the threshold of stretch reflexes within muscles, A reduction in the sensitivity of nerves that transmit signals of danger (nociceptors), A change within the brain related to perceived discomfort. The passive structures include things like the bones, ligaments, joint capsules, and the inherent boney alignment we are born with. While puberty can make a big negative impact on flexibility, I feel that the cultural norm of gymnasts just automatically getting tighter as they age is overexaggerated. 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. For the most part, these structures cannot change too much unless surgery of some nature is performed, or through adaptation across many years as is seen when children grow or participate in overhead throwing sports from a young age. Examples of gymnastics skills that require dynamic flexibility are a walkover and a handspring. Sports Health. The glute muscles, deep hip rotators, other surrounding hip muscles, and core are essential for hip safety and performance. Gymnastics at Home Worksheets- Static Flexibility Before you start you'll need: - A wooden spoon - A sofa/ seat - Some cushions - A wall/ closed door If you need to improve your flexibility in a certain area then the exercises in this worksheet will help with ideas of how to practice safety at home. The reality of the human body is that there are hundreds of factors related to anatomy that can influence a gymnasts level of flexibility. It goes into much more depth than I will in this blog post. Am J Sports Med 2011 39: 85S. flexibility exercises designed to enhance split flexibility. A huge issue related to local ankle problems and also up the chain issues in gymnasts is the large imbalance that develops between the toes down motion (plantar flexion) and Toes up motion (dorsiflexion). Determination and Desire are however the most important traits for successful participation in any 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. 2) change the hamstring muscle extensibility. They measured ankle range of motion and end range stiffness before and after these stretches. Undue force to these passive structures becomes problematic over time as the high force of gymnastics can cause injury. Instead, it may lead to the ligaments and joint capsules in the front or underside of the hips receiving more of the strain. Zollner AM., et al. The golf ball (ball of the upper arm bone or humerus) is inherently larger than the tee (socket of the shoulder or glenoid fossa). The aim of this study was to review the tests used to measure flexibility in gymnastic disciplines. We also do not want to cause excessive irritation of soft tissue through boney compression. It is not always about the length of the muscle at one spot like the hip or shoulder that makes everything goes right. doi:10.1007/s00167-016-4342-4, Kalisvaart MM, Safran MR. Microinstability of the hip-it does exist: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. They can also partner with healthcare providers who are versed in this information to either to teach in-services to their staff or teach the gymnasts themselves. One of the most effective methods that I have come up with to increase flexibility, make changes stick, and not risk injury with aggressive stretching techniques is to work in complexes rather than performing only static or dynamic stretching. Gymnasts practice up to 30 hours a week and have regiments full of conditioning and exercises. Register for the SHIFT Gymnastics Newsletter for Email Download Link. 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. Coaches understand that with more strength and technique training in a more structured environment they can progress quickly. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 25:3809, 1997. This means the hip bone was slightly migrating out of the hip socket to reach such large ranges of motion. Keeping this in mind, we need to seriously consider that gymnasts have open growth plates and can suffer from ischial apophysitis or growth plate stress fractures if we blindly force split motion. Gymnastics training itself may create a position where a gymnast acquired more hypermobility with jumping/lading forces but also the large emphasis on mobility. 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 agree that research is conflicting on the theoretical mechanisms and effects of soft tissue work, but it seems to be making some positive effect that supports its use. Drill progressions for skills, strength and conditioning, managing fears, and dealing with pain or injury are among the most discussed. The biggest concern I have withthe use of ankle weights is related to two concepts ofhipimpingement and hip instability. Thomas E., Bianco A., Palma A. Champagne, IL: Human Kinetics. Within the sport of gymnastics, a large majority of athletes who get involved have underlying natural hypermobility. Beam, Parallel Bar, High Bar Technique Drills Involving Splits The subjects were adult, the stretching methods and outcomes may have some validity errors, and the difference in natural hypermobility or anatomy were not discussed. flexibility changes in a gymnast. This concept simply means the passive structures like the ligaments or joint capsules tend to be already very lax and they naturally may have much less stiffness throughout their body. Also adding in regular soft tissue work and mobility drills would be very important. It is a physical activity that can be developed professionally, but can also be practiced generally for recreation or as a personal exercise routine. So think about this for a second. Forcing a split down into extreme ranges of an oversplit without a proper assessment behind it, asking a gymnast to perform over splits when they are not even close to a split on flat ground, or blindly pushing someone down just to be tough, is most definitely dangerous. Im glad you asked! It may help improve range of motion acutely, but it will not change movement in a gymnastics skill-specific manner. 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. When this is the case, there may be a more optimal approach based on the anatomy of the shoulder joint. This end range compression and increase in capsular laxity over time may predispose shoulder instability, subacromial impingement of the rotator cuff or biceps tendon, and labral damage. 1-13. Understanding multidirectional instability of the shoulder. 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. These topics tend to be what I write and lecture about most because they are often underrepresented or misunderstood in gymnastics. A rolled ankle happens when the gymnast catches their foot into a down and in position (plantar flexion with inversion) leading to the structures on the outside portion of the foot being damaged. I dont want readers to think static stretching is bad, and that we shouldnt do it. Frequently the complex research available suggests some minor changes during training. Due to this, they may not be biasing the proper muscular tissue intended and as a result may show limited effectiveness. Other methods of stretching like active flexibility, and PNF stretching, are certainly effective for increasing range of motion. 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. (3). Every young childs body has certain unique characteristics that may predispose them to success in certain sports. Hip and shoulder flexibility limitations are one main contributor I see clinically to wrist, elbow, shoulder, lower back, and hip injuries in gymnasts. It consists of two upper-body sessions, and two legs and core sessions, hitting each muscle group twice per week. This said, I believe the majority of the effects of stretching come through neurological means. In the short term, these smaller flare-ups of pain may not create huge issues. In simple terminology, it means that they did show an increase in the range of motion, but not due to a significant change in structural muscle tissue length. 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. It was found that thirty minutes of supervised hamstring stretching to the point of discomfort, five days per week for six weeks improved overall range of motion but did not increase the muscle extensibility. If better flexibility, strength, and soft tissue care was used, I feel a lot of this could be avoided. In Jeffreys I., Moody J. For a giant to be technically sound, many sub components must be present. It is one of the fastest ways to increase injury risk over time and stall progress in skill progression. The Relationship Between Stretching Typology and Stretching Duration: The Effects on Range of Motion. 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. If someone is continuing to struggle with hip mobility, rather than just pushing more take a step back and consider this concept. 2010;90:438 449. 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. These common active structures limiting overhead shoulder flexibility we want to focus on making more mobile. 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. I view it as a tool to open the door for gymnasts to then perform strength, technique, and control work for gymnastics skills. Dynamic flexibility is often the focus during warm-up exercises. imo group link. This creates a huge range of mobility for the shoulder joint, but in exchange for inherently less stability. I will cover those in-depth below. Some of the movement-based components that must go right to perform over splits include: As you can see, there are quite a few things that can limit why someone cannot do a full split or over a split. The Theraband strips should be black in color or they should be among the stiffest of the elastic material you can obtain. Why Do Gymnasts Lose Flexibility In The First Place? Ehmke, R. S. (2006). I have found that it not only can yield quick changes in flexibility, but it can also make longer-lasting changes that show up in gymnastics skills. They try videos from the internet, are disciplined about stretching at practice and at home, do active flexibility, try different medical providers, and all sorts of home remedies, only to come up short. Again, without an in-depth knowledge of anatomy, injury mechanisms, and medical imaging, it is tough for someone to tell the difference between a hip flexor strain and a more severe ligament or labral tear. Int J Sports Med. The research definitely leans towards changes in the nervous system being the primary reason, especially in the short term. This program is a four-day, upper/lower body split. These are the muscles themselves, to a small degree the tendons that connect muscles to bones, and largely the nervous system. 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. Cordasco FA. We all must understand and apply the best available science for hip and shoulder research to avoid excessive strain being placed on the passive structures of gymnasts. This becomes more important as the athlete gets older, starts training higher-level skills, or are spending more hours per week in the gym. 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. Stretching the shoulders overhead typically produces discomfort in the underarms where the lats and teres major are, with some possible chest tissue stretching where the pecs are. The ligaments and joint capsule, along with the alignment of the ball on the socket, create what is known as the passive structures or stabilizers. In this sport, training should be very constant since flexibility and coordination must be improved. 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). Nonoperative rehabilitation for traumatic and atraumatic glenohumeral instability. Im just saying there are many factors to consider and that there may be a more optimal approach to take. The athlete is encouraged to round their upper back to create upper back flexion. 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. Lastly and most importantly, this complex approach tends to create much more engagement from gymnasts, as the longer static holding of flexibility can be very prolonged and monotonous. For one, proper movement assessments are rarely done before these large flexibility sessions. If a training strategy is not yielding results over a few days or weeks, we must change and reevaluate our methodology. Typically not a time to increase joint motion, as the body is usually in a very high-stress state and has just taken a lot of training volume, A naturally hypermobile type genetic structure, and shallower hip joints (acetabular dysplasia), Proper spinal control, alignment and awareness that does not stress the lower back or hip joints excessively, Adequate muscle length in the hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, and groin, Adequate muscle strength in the core, glutes, deep hip stabilizers, and rotator muscles to safely support the hip joint, Adequate full range control and strength for the central nervous system to allow leg motion to occur safely, Consistent training and regular use of newly acquired motion to transfer motion to skills in the long-term, Proper mental and psychological developmental/maturity of the athlete to actively be engaged in the training, know normal versus abnormal levels of discomfort and consistently work to seeing progress, Skendzel, et al. 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. Self-soft tissue work refers to using foam rollers, lacrosse balls, tennis balls, or other implements to help massage different muscular areas of the body. As a result, gymnastic branch-specific stretching exercises increase the balance and flexibility parameters in a positive way; it is thought that the longer duration of training programs will. Click here to read our full privacy policy. In short, stretching the toe point more may be exaggerating this imbalance, leading to issues both in their injury risk for inversion sprains as noted above but alsoother ankle injuries. Opplert J, Babault N. Acute Effects of Dynamic Stretching on Muscle Flexibility and Performance: An Analysis of the Current Literature. Conflicting Research on Foam Rolling and Other Soft Tissue Care, Why Movement Assessments Are Key For Finding The Root Problem, Components of Splits and Handstand Flexibility, Not Feeding The Fire with Strength and Physical Preparation, How to Help Working In Complexes vs Just Stretching, Points for Knee/Elbow Hyper Extension and Ankle Toe Point Safety. Andrews, J., Reinold, M., Wilk, K. The Athletes Shoulder. 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. Thomas E., et al. Unfortunately, this leaves the gymnast feeling very defeated as if something is wrong with them, not to mention still struggling with skills and possibly at an elevated injury risk. It is only one piece of the puzzle that must be used in combination with movement assessments, strength work, technique work, consistent practice, and periodization programs that calculate work to rest ratios. Hip Flexors, Quads, Groin, Calves, etc. Bialosky, et al. Many gymnasts with stiff hips could benefit from a bit less squatting and jumping, and repace those exercises with glute and hamstring work. Targeted Muscular Stretching, or PNF Techniques Keeping your back straight, walk your hands out in front of you. Three-Dimensional Mathematical Model for Deformation of Human Fasciae in Manual Therapy. 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. These gymnasts typically dont have to work on flexibility too much to achieve full splits. The point is that targeting the soft tissue of the hip flexor and quad may be a more optimal approach. 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. Many gymnasts struggle with excessively tight hip flexors, inner thighs, and quads. 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. Its also really important to remember that the upper back, or thoracic spine, and the next play a huge role in shoulder motion. If the gymnast doesnt do it fast enough or lands awkwardly it can be problematic. In its most basic form, stretching involves taking a muscle to its end range of motion, and holding the elongated state for a period of time. As a healthcare provider, I regularly perform manual therapy to help with injuries based off a full medical assessment. I do not mean to imply that every report of pain should be panicked over, and that simple muscular strains are not a common occurrence. Her ankles are very lax and she also tends to hang out in the down and in position that may predispose it to roll. ), Ankle Rockers At Wall x10 reps with 10s hold at end, Hands and Knees Wall Rocking (for straight elbow movements) . Do each stretching exercise at least 4 times each session. 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. I feel gymnasts should be doing regular soft tissue care routine to combat excessive stiffness that may negatively impact flexibility. With slightly more difficult exercises and higher volume, the workouts are still only up to 45 minutes in duration. 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. Sports Med. Acute Effects of Stretching on Passive Properties of Human Gastrocnemius Muscle-Tendon Unit: Analysis of Differences Between Hold-Relax and Static Stretching. Many structures in the body can influence how much each joint moves. Some studies have correlated a higher Beightons score with increased capsular laxity, including this research study linking a Beighton score over 4 to hip capsular laxity (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400218/) and this study that discusses the links between shoulder capsular laxity and a high Beightons score (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4295707/). However, this requires very specialized medical training and must be performed by a healthcare provider who is competent. Speaking beyond the research, I truly feel that both mechanical and neurological changes occur in muscles as well as tendons with prolonged stretching. This is unlike the hip joint, which due to having a deeper hip socket (remember hips are built for weight-bearing while shoulders are not) has more inherent stability with less mobility. I generally recommend that not stretch have more intensity than a 3 or 4 out of 10 (0 is no discomfort, 10 is extreme discomfort). This is especially true when notallowing compensation from other body parts or excessive swinging for momentum. 2008;108:379390. Just as we must reverse engineer each of these technical issues to why a gymnast is unable to make a giant over, we must take the same approach to flexibility training. *Readers Note This gymnastics flexibility guide is a very long and in-depth blog post. Department of Exercise and Sport Science University of Utah Most gymnastics coaches would agree that flexibility is an essential aspect of gymnastics training and performance. When used in the right context, it can augment the flexibility needed for advanced leaps or jumps, inbar skills, and tumbling mechanics. 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. Cranking on their ankles to get more toe point may help to make skills look better, but may be increasing their subsequent injury risk. They also claim it helps following hard workouts or on light training days to recover. Ive seen hundreds of them and had plenty myself during my years of gymnastics. So often gymnastics is thought of as a kids sport, but the following activities can be great fun for the family to do together! In their concluding paragraphs, they write, Traditionally, rehabilitation literature has attributed increases in muscle extensibility observed after stretching to a mechanical increase in muscle length. This is because a large body of manual therapy and self-soft tissue work does not recommend very intense/painful pressure, or extremely long bouts of foam rolling are needed to gain the positive benefits. A blind approach to gymnastics flexibility training can cause serious hip injuries as the current medical research field has demonstrated. Using proper movement assessments, understanding the anatomy, and a consistency over intensity mindset is what will reduce injury risk and increase gymnastics performance. 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. Phys Ther. Harvey L, Herbert R, Crosbie J. This guide will have a lot of research and science references in it, but in an effort to keep it not as hard to read, I will footnote those studies using parenthesis and include a large references section below. Sometimes in such a high force sport, these bumps and bruises are inevitable. 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. 2013l 8(5) 601 616, Hart E., et al. Within a few days of modification, advice from a qualified medical provider, and time to heal, issues may resolve quickly. At face value, they can all appear as someone who is tight or unflexible. Which leads me to my most important point of this section: Splits and over splits should not be viewed as an inherent thing a gymnast has or doesnt have. Of two upper-body sessions, hitting each muscle group twice per week be more.. 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