These common active structures limiting overhead shoulder flexibility we want to focus on making more mobile. (17) Adjunctive radiographic X-Rays or advanced medical imaging can also be helpful to see a boney congruency. Ogura Y, Miyahara Y, Naito H, Katamoto S, Aoki J. However, I have seen these types of problems snowball into huge injuries quickly in gymnasts I treat. 2010;90:438 449. Theankle joint is very far from the hip socket. They say not to worry about it, and that this is something that can be trained through. In the long term, the increased strength of the upper back and follow up technique work will solidify the flexibility gains made. Its not always because they are not trying hard enough. Especially in gymnasts, the changes in sensitivity of nerves that transmit pain, and also reductions in stretch reflexes likely are the main mechanisms. Similar to the shoulder, when you look at the anatomical and biomechanical science of the hip joint, hip ligaments, hip flexor and quadriceps muscle (5, 8-12, 17) the more the lower back is arched, or hips are tilted forward, the less these muscles may be biased in this stretching alignment. 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/). The goal is to make hand contact with the wall. 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. 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. I know there is a large spectrum of positive or negative views on soft tissue work. 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. . The research definitely leans towards changes in the nervous system being the primary reason, especially in the short term. I view the different goals fo flexibility in this light. 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. 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. It may help improve range of motion acutely, but it will not change movement in a gymnastics skill-specific manner. 2) change tissue properties of the calf muscle. Given all of this, instead of doing twenty to thirty minutes of only stretching exercises, I now feel working in a complex type format is the most beneficial approach. 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. Reference below Microinstabilit of the hip, does it exist?. However, in my twenty-five years of being a gymnast, a gymnastics coach, and a Sports Physical Therapist who treats hundreds of gymnasts per year, flexibility is by far what I get the most questions about. 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. To really see if it is true I would need a dynamic MRI machine, a super slow motion high def camera, and someone way more technologically savvy than me (anyone want to put in donations?). This said, I believe the majority of the effects of stretching come through neurological means. Using proper movement assessments, understanding the anatomy, and a consistency over intensity mindset is what will reduce injury risk and increase gymnastics performance. The point is that targeting the soft tissue of the hip flexor and quad may be a more optimal approach. And lastly, passive or active flexibility exercises alone will not have a substantial impact on the nervous system to change movement, build strength, or correct technique. Definition of Gymnastics Is the system of selected physical exercises that can be performed with &without apparatus in physical education program It is a harmonious system of physical exercises which are scientifically organized methodological arranged to achieve objectives Gymnastic is one of the famous competitive sports. After having various conversations about flexibility with people in the gymnastics community, the safety of training over splits is typically the biggest question. More specifically, the inferior glenohumeral ligament and capsule, as well as possible parts of the middle glenohumeral ligament and capsule. A large body of research has emerged in the last decade outlining that regular stretching does increase range of motion over periods of 4-8 weeks, with both changes in the muscle tissue and changes in the nervous system as an underlying mechanism. The Relationship Between Stretching Typology and Stretching Duration: The Effects on Range of Motion. 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.. Im not saying all the stretches or flexibility approaches we use must be discontinued because they are dangerous. Flexibility is frequently included in talent identification and screening measures for gymnasts, divers, and dancers (2, 10, 11, 16, 20, 21). It only takes one bad landing for the gymnast to suffer a major and possibly career ending injury. 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. (41-42, 44-45). 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. If you took the time to read through everything, a major kudos to you. This is closely related to the one above, but many of the wobbly ankles come about because the gymnast has lots oflaxityoverall. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5400218/, https:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20075147, https://www.ncbi.nlm. Nakamura M., et al. 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). Here are 8 gymnastics exercises that will help improve your flexibility: Pike stretch The pike stretch is great for improving your upper body flexibility. 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. I did this for a decade as a gymnast, and for the first five years I was coaching. Enseki et al., Nonarthritic Hip Joint Pain: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health from Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. There has been conflicting research on the long-lasting changes in range of motion from various stretching methods as well as self-soft tissue work. Naturally tall kids may do well in sports like basketball or volleyball. They also represent layer two of the shoulder joint. The muscles of the shoulder blade and upper back are often not nearly as developed as the chest and underarm muscles mentioned above. 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. 0, pp. There may be a lot of variation on exact exercises/stretches included in your athletes' warm-up, but do try to include ALL of the following components: 2017 Apr;21(2):446-451. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2016.11.006. ISJPT 9(6) 2014. 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 am incredibly grateful for all the research they have conducted. Pictures 2 and 3 are showing a dynamic chest stretch over a foam roller where the shoulder blades are held down/ in while the arms slide on the floor from overhead to hip. It alsomay impact their ability to control landings and tumble leading to decreased performance. That same drill may cause significant pain and limited motion in another gymnast who has very retroverted or less shallow hip joints. This means the hip bone was slightly migrating out of the hip socket to reach such large ranges of motion. I do not mean to suggest that this shoulder stretch will cause injury in a gymnast and should never be used. (2, 5). I more hope to highlight that assuming ongoing pain reports are no big deal and can be trained through, rather than thinking critically about the situation, can be very problematic. 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. 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. A blind approach to gymnastics flexibility training can cause serious hip injuries as the current medical research field has demonstrated. Foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense bout of physical activity. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. PLOS, 2012, 7(10): 1-10, Kubo K., Kanehisa H., Fukunaga, T. Effect of stretching training on the viscoelastic properties of human tendon stiffness in vivo. If the exercises above are biasing stress on joint capsules and ligaments more so than the lat, teres major, and pec muscles, we should look for an alternative solution. Sands and Mcneal have a few fantastic chapters on flexibility in recent Strength and Conditioning text books (39-40). 30-60 seconds per targeted muscle group, no more than 5/10 discomfort level. I have found that many of the traditional general stretches we use as go to methods for increasing flexibility do not have proper assessments preceding them or may not have anatomical considerations in mind. However, they may have a more serious underlying issue such as ligament, capsule, the joint or labral damage that are frankly a big deal. In Wilk KE, Reinold MM, Andrews JR., The Athletes Shoulder: 2nd Edition. Second Edition, 2009. 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. As a result, they have more ability to positively increase an athletes overall amount of shoulder or hip flexibility. 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. Int J Exerc Sci. For 12 Weeks, 2 days a week and 90 min. 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! In conjunction with this, due to the gymnasts underlying lack of static stability from the ligaments and capsule, they will need absolutely pristine strength, physical preparation, and dynamic stability from their muscles around the joint. Tones and strengthen muscles Improves posture However, there is a very fine line between reasonable discomfort and inflicting real pain. Examples of gymnastics skills that require dynamic flexibility are a walkover and a handspring. 2006 Nov;20(4):804-10. Place your right hand on the left arm's elbow and pull toward the chest. They measured ankle range of motion and end range stiffness before and after these stretches. 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. Coaches notice their flexibility or ability to perform lower-level skills well. In particular, the knee and elbow joints can be areas that if overly stretched, can become problematic. 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. This is where things start to get important. Although there is a lot of research and textbook chapters written on these concepts (38-40), I have found that a multi step warm-up seems to be the best approach for this goal. 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. Atraumatic Hip Instability in Patients with Joint Hypermobility.Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine. The Layer Concept, Determining the Pain Generators, Pathology, and How Structure Determines Treatment. 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. When this is the case, there may be a more optimal approach based on the anatomy of the shoulder joint. My best recommendation is that people become more familiar with the research, practice, and use of self-soft tissue work. We must educate ourselves on what components go into a full handstand or split positions, then be able to reverse engineer why a gymnast is struggling. They found that to achieve this full straddle split position; there was evidence of micro subluxation in the hip joints. Picture 3 is a lat stretch where the athlete sits 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. As anatomical and biomechanical research in the shoulder outlines (1-5, 16) this end range overhead flexion and internal rotation position may create excessive pressure on certain shoulder ligaments over time. 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. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2004. 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. The problem is, between the massive amount of information on the internet, the rapid progression of scientific literature, and the wide range of possible reasons behind why someone struggles with flexibility, it can be absolutely exhausting to learn about and use practically to actually see long term results in the gy. 90 Minutes of Must Hear Gymnastics Coaching Expert Advice, Master the Basics: Gymnastics Drills for Kips, Fly Aways, and Giants, Nick Ruddock Shares His Best Uneven Bar Methods for Giants, Flyaways, and Cast Handstands, Understanding and Treating Back Pain in Athletes, 5 In-Season Gymnastics Tips for Maximizing Meet & Routine Performance, Gymnastics requires significant amounts of flexibility and mobility, which makes it a primary area of training, It can be very confusing and easily overwhelming, especially with the rapid increase in scientific advances and the internet, Anyone working with gymnasts should have an understanding of basic anatomy and physiology before assigning flexibility drills, Although research is conflicting, there appear to be both neurological and mechanical reasons as to why regular flexibility training increases range of motion, Its crucial that proper methods are used to reduce joint stress and bias the stretching of soft tissue structures, especially in hypermobile athletes, Static stretching has a role to play in gymnastics but must be used correctly and at the right dosage. If a gymnast is known for having tight shoulders that limits their handstand and swinging skills, why are we continuing to have that athlete do a high volume of pull- ups, rope climbs, push-ups, and leg lifts? These structures and systems tend to have much more potential to change through training. The Hyper Flexible Hip: Managing Hip Pain in the Dancer and Gymnast. *Readers Note This gymnastics flexibility guide is a very long and in-depth blog post. 1) improve range of motion and Healey KC, et al. This creates a situation where the femoral head has more access to move in larger ranges of motion, creating significantly more hip mobility in all planes. Surrounding the ball and socket of the shoulder is something called the joint capsule as well as ligaments. Glutes, Deep Hip Rotators, Core, etc. With this said, lets review some basic anatomy. The active structures are more what people know about from gymnastics flexibility methods: muscles, tendons that attach muscles to bones, and the nervous system. There are some cases where young children do not have natural hypermobility but are gifted in their bodyweight strength abilities. 10 Minute Gymnastics Flexibility Circuits, Download SHIFT's Free Gymnastics Pre-Hab Guide, I usually start any discussion that I have with coaches or gymnasts related to flexibility on some basic anatomy. Int J Sports Med. 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). 1-13. Remember the biggest risk factor for an injury is a previous injury, and a lot of it has to do with what got the gymnast there in the first place. 387 403. Targeted Muscular Stretching, or PNF Techniques As mentioned we have to be cautious not to overtax their already hypermobile hip capsules and ligaments during flexibility training. The strips are cut in sections approximately 5'6" in length (approximately 170cm). When you combine these three areas, along with the already discussed points about not having the best science behind flexibility methods to stress muscular tissue and spare joint capsules, it certainly makes sense why gymnasts may struggle with their flexibility. 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. 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. But, the timiing protocols for these studies were insanely more than and human does, so its likely not the main case for increases in muscle length. This natural selection type introduction to gymnastics presents an essential background foundational concept of flexibility training. And Im not off the hook here. Again, as presented by Beardsley and Skarbot, Self-Myofascial release does not appear to impede athletic performance acutely or in the short term. As the 2018 systematic review outlines (25), it may make a positive effect on range of motion when properly done. The first few sections of this blog are background and explanation for flexibility methods using scientific research. Thomas E., Bianco A., Palma A. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012; 26(8) 2119 2129. 2008;108:379390. In terms of stretching induced neurological changes to the muscle tissue, the majority of the articles theorize that the main reasons behind this include, All of these mechanisms may be occurring as people stretch consistently over a long period of time. Let's learn about the most common gymnastics exercises and how they help gymnasts perform! Gymnastics is, therefore, a sports discipline that seeks to provide strength and flexibility to the body, through specific exercise routines. I suggest these to outline the complexity of the human body, in hopes that people are more cautious in some flexibility decisions they make. Within the sport of gymnastics, a large majority of athletes who get involved have underlying natural hypermobility. Many gymnasts may be limited by their bony alignment, differently shaped hips, or less mobile capsule/ ligaments. Does stretching induce lasting increases in joint ROM? Given the material I have read, this has been my main thought process as well. John Wiley & Sons: Oxford. However, we need to understand that forcefully pushing oversplits, not being open to learning basic anatomy, or ignoring serious pain complaints from gymnasts is not tolerable. I have seen what was thought to be a pulled hamstring end up being a pelvic growth plate stress fracture that required six months of time off and rehabilitation. These gymnasts typically have natural flexibility but may struggle to build strength and power during training. Out of all the things I have seen in flexibility methods for gymnastics, the one that drives me the most insane is pushing knees into extension during splits or pikes. If you are not into that and are just looking for a particular area of the body without the geeky stuff, please click the table of contents below to jump to a certain section. Oct 4 (15). Herbert RD1, de Noronha M. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. (10), In another study by Konrad (10), twenty-five adult individuals were compared to twenty-four adult individuals in a control group to see if a six-week calf stretching program would. 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. 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. It uses either a floor bar or the other arm version to bias external rotation of the shoulder. In general, these structures can be lumped into the categories of passive or active, with research outlining this more specifically for the shoulder (1-5) and the hip (5-12). Due to many gymnasts having inherent hypermobility, we do not want to place excessive stress on the ligaments and joint capsules of athletes. Get in the low lunge position with the knee of the leg at the back touching the floor. 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. This approach is especially useful for gymnasts who are not as fortunate to be naturally mobile. 4 full hip and shoulder circuits in PDF Front splits, straddle splits, handstands and pommel horse/parallel bar flexibility Downloadable checklists to use at practice Exercise videos for every drill included Stretching Skeletal Muscle: Chronic Muscle Lengthening through Sacrocmeregenesis. Soft Tissue care, specific stretching, and eccentrics can help male gymnasts get where they need to be. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 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. This capsular and ligamentous hypermobility is not inherently a bad thing, as it is part of what makes a gymnast good at the sport. So I know this has been an absolute beast of an article. They tend to be more biased towards strength or power and less towards inherent flexibility. Understanding multidirectional instability of the shoulder. Gymnasts partake in stretching every day for months on end, so we cant conclude that changes in muscle tissue over time are not occurring. Conflicting results may have to do with the types of tools used, the pressures used, the duration of treatment, and technique or instructions were given to study participants. (7-9, 17). Manske R., et al. Place your left arm across your chest to the right side. 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. Like many people, I largely got my flexibility methods from lessons that my coaches passed down to me, the advice of other coaches at camps or clinics, and whatever I found on the internet through discussion forums. I will try to provide simple explanations and also include graphics for the concepts. 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. Alistair MM, Saran MR. Micro instability of the hip-it does exist etiology, diagnosis and treatment. The reality of the human body is that there are hundreds of factors related to anatomy that can influence a gymnasts level of flexibility. Wilk KE, Arrigo CA, Andrews JR. Current concepts: The stabilizing structures of the glenohumeral joint. 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? Everyone in gymnastics should understand that there are many subcomponents of split, overhead handstand, or behind the back patterns that must be worked on. 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. I often give these circuits for shoulder or hip flexibility assigned as homework before practice or at home. Every young childs body has certain unique characteristics that may predispose them to success in certain sports. An important note is that some athletes may have different bony morphology of their hips in which their femur or hip socket is more rotated forward (anteverted) or backward (retroverted). Helpful or Not? Lats, Teres Major, Pec Major and Minor, Thoracic Spine, etc. 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. As with the shoulder, I also feel that extreme hip stretching methods from a very high surface, or when a coach is pushing aggressively on a gymnast, have no place in our sport. Have your partner . Wilk KE, Macrina LC, Reinold MM. The bones themselves, and the shape/fit of these bones is often referred to as the first layer of the shoulder joint. Doing a high volume of these movements may create ongoing stiffness in these areas, and as a result further contribute to the persistent loss of overhead mobility. 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. Gently warming up the muscles is a safe way to begin activity and prepare you for advanced . Hip Flexors, Quads, Groin, Calves, etc. The physical examination of the glenohumeral joint: Emphasis on the stabilizing structures. 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. 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. Epub 2014 May 10. 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. 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Adjunctive radiographic X-Rays or advanced medical imaging can also be helpful to see a boney congruency bone was slightly out! Give these circuits for shoulder or hip flexibility assigned as homework before practice or at home in! Is something called the joint capsule as well who is tight or unflexible etiology, diagnosis and Treatment give circuits! Another gymnast who has very retroverted or less mobile capsule/ ligaments hand with. Straddle split position ; there was evidence of micro subluxation in the short term for shoulder hip.