Gymnastics: Injury & Prevention

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the sport of gymnastics. According to the paper, younger gymnastic athletes are particularly vulnerable to injuries because of the great physical, stamina, and balance-related demands. The paper goes on to discuss the various possible causes of gymnastic related injuries.

From the Paper:

"Exercises using the plyometric strategy are very useful for gymnasts; plyometric exercises are the "rapid deceleration and acceleration of muscles" that in turn help create a stretch-shortening cycle," according to www.specialolympics.org. These kinds of exercises train the muscles, and train the nervous system to carry out in an effective way the stretch-shortening cycle, which can improve the performance of a gymnast. Drills using plyometrics also help the athlete develop "rhythm, speed, power and even muscular endurance," the Special Olympics site explains. All plyometric exercises must be carried out on a flat soft surface, and for example, doing the "Exploding Harvards" plyometric exercise builds stamina and muscle strength by doing 10 jumps on each leg."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Daly, R.M., & Bass, S.L., & Finch, C. F. (2001). Balancing the risk of injury to gymnasts: howEffective are the counter measures." British Journal of Sports Medicine. Vol. 35, 8-19.
• Mayo Clinic. (2006). Core exercises strengthen abs and other core muscles. Retrieved 9 March2007 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/sm00047.
• Micheli, Lyle J. (1996). Types of Sports Injuries and How They Can Be Prevented. Retrieved8 March 2007 from Conference Notes / Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureauof Family and Community Health, Division of Prevention, Injury Prevention and ControlProgram http://www.nyssf.org.
• Santana, Juan Carlos. (2006). Plyometric Training Part I: What it is and what it's not. PerformBetter, retrieved 8 March 2007 from http://www.performbetter.com.
• Special Olympics. (2005). Plyometrics Training. Retrieved 8 March 2007 fromhttp://www.specialolympics.org.

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