The physical demands of ballet dance are comparable to many other high-performance athletic pursuits. Although dancers are performance artists and not strictly athletes, the strenuous physical demands of dance choreography place the dancer at considerable risk for injury, and a variety of performance related problems.
Gymnastics requires tremendous strength, balance, timing, and flexibility.
Gymnasts are prone to a wide range of injuries due to their superior flexibility, which allows them to move their joints beyond the normal range of motion.
Gymnasts have among the highest injury rates of all athletes, including those participating in high-impact sports such as football.
Common Injuries
Calluses
Calluses are thickened areas of dead skin, which typically form on the bottom or sides of the feet. They are caused by excessive, prolonged pressure and friction within the shoe.
Gymnasts will often form calluses on the balls of their feet and on their hands. Thick calluses may crack, or bleed and can often become quite painful.
Dr. Roth recommends TABS arch supports to help cushion, support and protect areas of the foot sensitive to excessive callus formation.
Skin tears
Skin tears are a common problem and often occur when a gymnast resumes a workout schedule after taking some time off. They usually result from friction that builds between the skin and the apparatus.
Blisters
Friction, and the repeated rubbing of skin against the inside of the shoe or gymnastic apparatus, causes blisters. The effects of the blisters are made worse by damp, sweaty conditions of the shoe- commonly caused by extended performance.
Muscle pulls and tears
Gymnasts are especially prone muscle pulls and tears due to the strain of the sudden, explosive movements involved in many gymnastic pursuits.
Foot fractures
The repeated trauma of landing roughly, or incorrectly from dismounts can cause stress fractures of the long bones of the foot. An off-balance landing may also cause toes or other bones to break.
Dr. Roth's Ultimate All-Purpose Wrap is engineered to provide the necessary support, compression and comfort to aid in healing a painful foot fracture.
Ankle sprains/strains
Ankle sprains and even fractures are common among gymnasts, who can land off-balance from jumps or tumbling passes or on the edge of the mat.
Many ankle injuries occur when gymnasts perform twisting motions during floor exercise, vaulting, and dismounts from beams. Sprain also can be the result of falling from an apparatus or missed moves while practicing.
Dr. Roth's Ultimate All-Purpose Wrap is engineered to provide maximum support, compression and comfort. When a strain or injury has occurred and support is required; a wrap that will perform and can be adjusted to the desired tension is an absolute must.
Shin splints
Shin splints is the term used to refer to a painful condition of the shinbone, also known as the tibia, caused by small tears in the connective tissues that attach the muscles to the bone.
The overworking of the shinbone, and the affixed connective tissues that attach your muscles to the bone, causes shin splints.
Dr. Roth's Ultimate All-Purpose Wrap is engineered to provide the necessary support, compression and comfort to help alleviate pain associated with shin splints.
Overpronation is also a common cause of shin splints. Pronation is the rolling motion of the foot from heel to toe while walking, jogging, or running. Too flat of a foot or too high of an arch can bring on a number of leg and knee injuries.
Dr. Roth recommends FABS or MAGFABS to help alleviate Plantar Fasciitis caused by pronation.
Achilles tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is a painful condition caused by the inflammation, and irritation of the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon runs the length of the posterior leg, extending to the heel.
Gymnasts tend to perform most of their maneuvers with a pointed toe, which can lead to decreased elasticity of the tendon. The repetitive nature of the sport, especially during practice, also increases the risk of chronic tendon problems.
Dr. Roth recommends FABS or MAGFABS to help alleviate pain associated with Achilles tendonitis.
Injury Self-Care
R.I.C.E. is a simple, and effective self-care measure that can be used to treat minor strain, and sprain injuries.
Instructions for R.I.C.E.
Rest the injured limb. Rest is a key part of repair. Without rest, continual strain is placed on the area, leading to increased inflammation, pain, and possible further injury.
Ice the affected area. A good method is ice every 20 minutes of each hour, for a 24-48 hour period. To prevent blood supply restriction to the skin, it is recommended that the ice be placed within a towel before wrapping around the area.
Compress the area with a wrap, or bandage. Compression aims to reduce the swelling that results from the inflammation.
Elevate the injured limb, if possible, to limit swelling.
Injury prevention
Gymnasts should concentrate on strength training, and muscle conditioning to not only to improve their performance, but also to help prevent injuries. Strength and balance are the major factors in not only in competition, but in preventing injuries altogether.
External Links
- USA Gymnastic: The official web site of USA Gymnastics
- The Gymnastics Resource Center
