Gymnastics places some fairly unique demands on fairly young bodies. In episode 26 of the Physio Edge podcast, I discuss these demands with Kingsley Gibson, a Sports Titled Physiotherapist that has worked with Australian Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Shooting and Hockey teams at a number of Commonwealth and Olympic games, and works with elite gymnasts on a daily basis. For his services to gymnastics, in 2000 the Commonwealth awarded Kingsley with a Sports Services Medal. So Kingsley has a lot of experience to draw on, and we got into detail on a number of topics.
In this podcast we discuss:
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Common injury patterns in the various gymnastic disciplines
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Important factors to consider when returning gymnasts to training and competition
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Factors that can influence your gymnasts treatment outcome
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Communication with parents and coaches
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How to best implement load management strategies
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Various motor control patterns in gymnasts that contribute to injuries
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Screening gymnasts
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Designing specific upper limb rehab programs
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Lower limb and lumbar spine rehab programs
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Management of acute vs chronic injuries
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Stress reactions in the Lumbar spine
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Apophyseal injuries – hip flexors, hamstrings, calcaneus (Sever’s) and Osgood-Schlatter’s
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Management of apophyseal injuries compared to tendinopathy
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Motor control/“stability” patterns in gymnasts
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When to order imaging
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Growth plate injury management – particularly in the wrist
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The effect of other factors such as training surfaces and equipment on injury
Links of Interest