Did you see the media coverage new study on gymnastics injury in the USA?
… USA Gymnastics believes some of the points made in the study are misleading. The study is based on injury information that was entered in an emergency room database from different hospitals, which means there is little consistency in what may have been classified as a gymnastics-related injury.
Also, the study did not differentiate whether or not the injuries occurred in a proper setting with appropriate supervision. In addition, the study represented participation numbers at 600,000, which represents those who compete in events, rather than the 4-5 million recreational and competitive participants cited in some industry surveys. Although it was not featured prominently in media reports, the study documented a 25 percent decrease in gymnastics-related injuries during the period of the study and that 97 percent of the injuries were treated and released. …
read the rest of the USAG Press Release
Me thinks they protest too much.
The study is not perfect. But few coaches deny that gymnastics is a dangerous activity.
The message from USAG should be: Keep your kids safe. Send them to a USAG affiliated program. Search out experienced, competent USAG affiliated coaches.
broken wrist from gymnastics – original – flickr – Dave Parker
Please leave a comment if you’ve got an opinion.
PS
Let’s not gloss over the fact that the coach education non-system in the States is far inferior to any other developed gymnastics nation. The mandatory safety certification for professional members is not nearly enough.
In sadly Socialist Canada, for example, we have mandatory coach training called the National Coaching Certification Program. It’s not great. But our NCCP is far better than the hodge podge of coach education schemes in America.
18 comments ↓
Hi
Here in NZ for example based on the ACC reports, gymnastics is one of the safest sports. I think this is due to several things
1- The NZ coach education like the Canadian one is not great but its there
2- Gymnastics takes a (well should) progressive approach to learning. You dont get on the bars and do a flyaway until you ahve done some drills at least.
3- Gymnastics coaches appreciate the danger and most often then not take as many precautions as possible to prevent injury.
4- Spotting is a great asset to the sport, i am sure it prevents many injuries.
All and all i think its greatly generalized statement to make that gymnastic is dangerous. Like any activity there is some risk of injury at all times, particularly due to accidents rather then carelessness. Does the study take into account Trampolining as well? Because trampolining is quite dangerous especially if recreational backyard trampolining is included.
Does anyone have a source for this article?
My opinion is that gymnastics is relatively safe sport when done right. But i must agree as well, the US coaching system is shocking!!, for all the good coaches they have there is very little follow through. Actually in reality there are very few good American born coaches? Can anyone list some.
I guess Peggy Lidick, Steve Nunno, umm…
usa gymnastics refuses to address the core fundamentals needed in this sport. the truth is that gymnastics is a great sport but at the same time it can be extremely damaging to a young athletes body when instruction is provided by coaches who refuse to keep abreast of scientific data and adjust and adapt their training techniques. the ‘this is the way we have always done it’ mentality can not be condoned. safety certification and coach training is merely a way to generate funds. you can lead a horse to water but…
from my experience, there are some within the community who feel they have been doing this for so long that they know all there is to know and that includes questioning doctors. coaches need to work with individuals in the medical field to prolong an athletes ability to participate in the sport and not to shorten it by undermining their recommendations.
Fair Reporting Should Prevail
My daughter’s coach always has safety in mind, but doesn’t every sport come with a certain amount of risk? The original reporting on the study stated that 97% of the 27,000 children admitted to emergency rooms had only minor sprains and strains and were released, but that was not the focus of the study. I’d like to see a comparison with other sports to the severity of the injuries.
It also stated, but did not highlight the fact that the rate of injury also decreased. Here’s the exact quote from the study. “But the good news, according to the study, is that the overall rate of gymnastics injuries dropped 25% between 1990 and 2005. Much of that decline has to do with better equipment and improved safety measures.” Why wasn’t the headline for the study “Gymnastics Injuries Decrease 25% Due to Increased Safety Measures.†“Unfortunately, good news does not sell papers.
I acknowledge that there are dangers, injuries, and risks, especially with a no-fear Level 5 gymnast for a daughter. But sometimes the negative headlines sell more, so that’s what they emphasize. According to the original study, we should have gymnasts wearing helmets and shoulder pads. I don’t think so. I’m glad that USAG responded.
Randy B.
http://www.gymmeet.com
I still haven’t seen the original report, Valentin.
Will post if I get it. And a more detailed analysis would be a good article for The Gym Press.
As Randy says, the severity of the injuries is far more important than the number.
In gymnastics we get far more overuse syndrome injuries, I suspect, than almost any other sports. But we spend so much time and money (pits, matting) to prevent serious injury, that our rates there would be low compared with ice hockey and skateboarding, to name two.
Obvious gymnastics has risks – all sports do. But in my 4 years owning a gym we’ve only had one scary incident where a girl balked on her back tuck and landed on her head. (She was fine, didn’t even end up going to the doctor though we encouraged her parents to take her) However, we’ve had numerous children have to pull out of classes because of broken bones. 2 main causes? School playgrounds and Heelys (those shoes with wheels)! If we want to keep our children safe, let’s wrap the world in bubble wrap and sit aimlessly on a cushion.
Very well put Randy…
Life involves risks. Everyday someone is killed in a car accident, so, will you stop driving? Will you start to feed your child liquefied food because they might choke on solid food? Your children need to sleep on the floor in their bedroom because they might fall out of their bed and break their arm or neck. Stop allowing your child to ride their bike, because it’s dangerous. If we continue along this path and not change the parenting attitudes soon, can you imagine what the kids in 15 years “won’t be able to do?”
The gymnastics coaches of the United States must take a national safety course to coach at sanctioned events. We strive everyday to make our sport a safer one. That’s not to say we can’t do more. We can always do more. We learn from bumps and bruises, and kids do too! Coaches need to make smart decisions and always think one step ahead.
Don’t plan on your athlete getting injured but don’t be devastated when it happens. The vast majority of sports injuries are minor. This is normal. Don’t think you can keep your athlete 100% safe all of the time. And please don’t expect a 100% perfect safety record from the coaches. That is impossible to expect.
Maybe a pinch in the middle of the back when your son is batting. And a fall off beam. And a volleyball to the face. And a trip and fall on the basketball court. These situations can not all be controlled by the coaching staff. Injuries and soreness happen. Most coaches are creating a very safe situation but they can’t make it 100% safe all of the time.
The vast majority of the youth sports in the U.S. are super safe. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. 100% safe with no injuries? We have to stay in the real world here. Do you know that there are as many injuries, or more, on the playground as there are in most sports?
So below are a couple stats found by Tom Burgdorf. Thanks, Tom!
Source: National Electronic Injury Surveillance System
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
National Injury Information Clearinghouse
http://www.nyssf.org/statistics1998.html
Estimates for Sports Injuries 1998
(1998 Statistics should be released from the CPSC in July of 2000)
Sport & Product Code Estimated and # of Cases
Archery (1235)
Ball Sports (3236)
Baseball (5041)
Basketball (1205)
Bicycles (5040)
Bleachers (1294)
Bowling (1206)
Boxing (1207)
Cheerleading (3254)
Dancing (3278)
Diving or Diving Boards (1278)
Exercise w/o Equipment (3299)
Exercise Equipment (3277)
Field Hockey (1295)
Football (1211)
Golf (1212)
Gymnastics (1272)
Hockey (not specified)(3272)
Horseback Riding (1239)
Ice Hockey (1279)
Ice Skating (3255)
In-Line Skating (3297)
Martial Arts (3257)
Roller Skating (3216)
Rugby (3234)
Skateboards (1333)
Skating (not specified)(3217)
Snow Skiing (3283)
Soccer (1267)
Softball (5034)
Squash, Racquet Ball or Paddle (3256)
Swimming (3274)
Tennis (3284)
Track & Field (5030)
Trampolines (1233)
Volleyball (1266)
Water Skiing (1264)
Weight Lifting (3265)
Wrestling (1279)
Another study. Where is gymnastics?
Basketball, Cycling, Football & Soccer
Top Sports Injury List
CPSC Statistics For 2003 http://www.momsteam.com/alpha/features/health_safety/most_dangerous_youth_sports.shtml
New data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows the 15 sports with the greatest number of medically treated (i.e. at hospitals, doctors’ offices, ambulatory surgery centers, clinics and hospital emergency rooms) in the U.S. as follows:
Top Sports Injury List
RANK Sport # of Injuries
1. Basketball 1,622,781
2. Bicycles 1,299,987
3. Football 1,035,450
4. Soccer 456,320
5. Baseball 417,479
6. Swimming/Diving 364,116
7. Softball 318,637
8. Trampolines 244, 564
9. Skateboards 241,734
10. Weightlifting 218,381
11. Horseback 195,446
12 Volleyball 161,240
13 Golf 141,797
14 In-line skating 114,574
15 Roller-skating 114,338
So, it is safe to say that sports are dangerous. But isn’t it worth the risk for your child to be more active, healthier, stronger, more disciplined, and overall happier? Child obesity is a growing condition. You decide which is better.
Sports are fun! Especially gymnastics! Don’t punish your child because of your own fears!
PS
In regard to these comments from above:
“Let’s not gloss over the fact that the coach education non-system in the States is far inferior to any other developed gymnastics nation. The mandatory safety certification for professional members is not nearly enough.
In sadly Socialist Canada, for example, we have mandatory coach training called the National Coaching Certification Program. It’s not great. But our NCCP is far better than the hodge podge of coach education schemes in America.”
Have you ever coached in the United States? Do you actually know what “Hodge-podge” you are talking about? Can you honestly compare the NCCP to USAG’s safety certification if you have never taken the course? We can never be “safe-enough”, but to start by criticizing other countries safety education, that doesn’t exactly help the sport, now does it?
I have one question: DO all “good” coaches have to coach the highest levels? I know some fabulous coaches that coach anywhere from compulsory levels up to Level 10. Some would argue that the most important coaches ARE the coaches in the earliest years.
(this is a reference to the first comment).
As for safety, it is an illusion. Know what you’re doing, take every precaution, be educated, make your kids strong and flexible, and that’s the best you can do.
Rick i started an article RE injury in gymnastics, but never completed it, it is a good topic to get into and i will try to do one soon.
Many valuable comments. Coach Jami thanks for that post, however i do have to agree with Rick RE the coaching education system in the US. Having congresses as the main for of coaching education is a good idea, but unfortunately they are to expensive (reg prices and the travel), and range in quality, not to mention that there doesn’t seem to any content control (from watching some lectures many times i have heard coaches talk about outdated material). The idea is great, and attending a good congress would be a valuable experience, but sadly this does not address the coaches in regard to safety.
You can do now the USAG’s safety certification over the internet.. what does that say??? It says we don’t care to much about safety but we want everyone to have it as easy as possible. That is unacceptable, why can’t you do a first aid course over the internet?? because it just doesn’t teach you properly. I have taught in the US, and i never did a USAG safety certification, but then again you don’t need one if you are doing club competitions. This is just an example of how the system falls short. Here in NZ for a coach to coach and be out on the floor at any competition (club, inhouse, or sanctioned) you need to have a first aid, and be of the required coaching level. I am sure that there are a lot of people who don’t always have the current first aid, but at least everyone has done it. Safety wise its at least a good start.
I guess all i want to say is that, in the US safety can varyyyy greatly between clubs, and this variety shouldbe addressed and streamlined.
Valentin Uzunov
Founder of TheGymPress
http://www.thegympress.net
Tuesday has a good point.
Preschool requires the most skill, energy and personal charisma as a coach.
The EASIEST coaching I’ve ever had was elite male Artistic gymnasts. They coach themselves.
There are great PS coaches, great Rec coaches, great developmental coaches.
Certainly some of the coaches I most admire NEVER coached advanced gymnastics.
… from the editor:
Thanks for those very interesting stats, Jami.
As Valentin said as well, gymnastics is safer than the new study under attack by USAG intimates. The stats you quote, I suspect, are closer to reality.
Just so you know, Jami, I spend a lot of time in gyms in the USA. I visited over 50 gyms in 2007. Attend a lot of competitions in the USA. Am in touch with some of the best coaches in the States.
I am not wrong. The average coach in the USA is not nearly as knowledgeable as the average coach in Canada. I’m oft to say, the best coaches — and the biggest oddball coaches — are from the USA.
I’ve coached in the UK and the US. When I first came to the US, I was shocked that anyone can open a gym club. In the UK, a coach must attend coaching courses and pass a written and practical examination first. Background checks are also required for all coaches I believe. The system in the UK is not perfect, but far superior to what I have seen here in the US so far. In fact, if I returned to the UK now, I would have to requlify as a coach because my credentials are out of date. In addition you have to be qualified in whatever discipline you teach, although there is a “common core” to all British Gymnastics coach education.
There are obviously some great coaches and gyms in the US, but there are many that allow kids to throw skills they are totally not ready for. That seems to perpetuate the kid’s sense that they can do harder tricks than their strengh and flexibility allows. Throw in lots of cheap backyard trampolines, high school cheerleading and you have a recipe for lots of “gymnastics” injuries.
I too am surprised at how lax the US coaching system is.
In Australia, you CAN coach without accreditation – but you are meant to under a Level 1 mentor or a Level 2 + NCAS coach. Generally, that can mean rec/levels 1-3. That’s the ideal, although it doesn’t always happen (and we know that).
Level 4 and above requires you to hold level 1 accreditation (although you can coach L10 with a Level 1), which involves 2 days of theory/practical relating to general aspects of coaching as well as sport specific. Coaches then need to pass workbooks, and also complete at least 30 coaching hours with a supervising coach. Kindygym also requires a first aid cert and more coaching hours.
Level 2 accreditation takes a year or so to complete, and requires a first aid cert.
All clubs that employ anybody to work with children are required by law to have the employee complete a Working with Children Check (Attachment 4). This claims that the signed person recognises that they have never committed a criminal offence against a children (for that makes them banned for life as to working with children).
I’m always surprised at how coaches in the USA don’t have a proper education system, don’t require first aid certs, and most importantly, don’t do working with children checks. It’s horrifying really.
Rick, would you say that there is anywhere as many commercial private club gyms in the US as there is in Canada. Really what I have heard is that many of these gyms in other countries are city or state founded gyms similar to say a gym run by the city of San Francisco for example. It seems gymnastics in many other countries is a state run entity ( which would make sense as they are probably more socialist than good ole capitalist run America with it’s socialist tendencies that are dwarfed by many of these other countries.
I would also question the sheer number of gyms and gymnasts, competitive and non competitive in the U.S. compared to some of these other countries. That would make it an organizing nightmare. I think in this regard is a possible reason the U.S. Gov’t has just done a laissez faire attitude to this and many other sports. I think they get more involved as the amount of $$$ goes up and up ( which probably means $$ in the politician’s coffers ). I think it is just very late in the game to create a department in the gov’t for handling gymnastics as you would then have to do it for every sport. Americans just wouldn’t be down for it in the end I think. Such is our cavalier attitude. We’d have as many people for it as against it.
Many gyms are burdened by just trying to keep their operating expenses at 0 and not going into the negative. However, I think there is a prime reason that training all your coaches, be it jr coaches helping out ( often older competitive gymnasts ) or your PS or rec coaches or team coaches is more important so the gym can keep more gymnasts, profits higher, etc. Gyms are always watching their budgets closely especially when it’s a for profit business compared to something city or state funded.
Myself, I’m a pit pissed at the USAG absorbing the regional congresses because I think it was done to line their own coffers when competing regional congresses were taking away from National Congress and the fact that the Region bodies were profiting instead of USAG. If the next regional congress for Region 1 is a $100 more than it used to be, I know it will be so.
I think many of these gyms that don’t actively train their coaches or think they train their coaches enough are deluded in their fallacy. Luckily, I came from a Rec heavy gym background originally ( meaning for profit ) versus competitive gyms that barely train their new coaches. Get hired one day, tag along for 2 weeks and run your own classes. Then wonder why kids are dropping.
However, some of the successful and ultra successful gyms heavily train their coaches at all levels. Metzger, Lulla, Greeley, Cypress Academy could fall into these categories. They also run background checks and require that their coaches are safety, first aid/cpr and either train in an in gym training program as well as GymCert, USAG L1, KAT, L1-L4 PDP.
In additional, any city run gyms generally run their coaches through Safety-Cert, CPR/First Aid, background checks ( since they are city employees ), etc
Many of these gyms that don’t train from the bottom up enough eventually run aground as they should. Such is laissez faire.
Currently I just started at a new gym. While I doubt at this time it is necessary to certify what few coaches we have in cpr, first aid, safety cert, GymCert, USAG, etc…I do think we should at least go over the material especially and even for our young coaches. It’s really the best compromise, IMO. That in my mind, I should bring my Safety Cert materials into the gym to share with the new coaches. At one gym I worked at we never took CPR/First Aid ( which itself was something of a joke ) but did go over their own version of it ( what to do for a sprain, RICE, back injury, blood, etc ).
To Blair:
The one time I checked Canada had just as many gyms per capita as the USA.
In Canada there are very few private gyms, however, as private business must pay tax. Those that are non-profit parent-run do NOT pay taxes.
I prefer the US model.
A gym like Metzger’s would have far better trained staff and coaches than any gym in Canada. The benefit of Socialism is that you get a minimum standard. (Coaches, Health Care, Education, etc.)
The disadvantage of Socialism is that there is no incentive to exceed the maximum.
Long-term, Capitalism as in the USA is better.
Eventually the average American coach will be “better” than the average Australian, British or Canadian coach. That day is not here yet, however.
Yes — the USAG taking over the regional congress events is anti-competitive. A bad move longterm for all.
Spectator,
Often and I could be accused of this as well that any professional field in general is 5-10 years off the latest and greatest studies and information.
Coaches in the states are often plagued by hubris and it could also be the American Fast Everything mentality. For instance, physical preparation is sadly ignored or bypassed by many in the sport.
How often do gyms/coaches start rehab after an injury versus implementing any or the necessary injury prevention/physical preparation? Or of course, parents and coaches look for the quick fixes. Big Pharma or the latest gadget.
My first sport and my father’s main sport was Judo. You know what you get to do for the first half of a workout as a 5yo? Condition. This was an old school dojo also run by an old school Japanese sensei with ties back to the Kodokan Hombu dojo in Japan. My father impressed upon me tireless amounts of basics whether it was handwriting or baseball or any sports. You don’t get to do anything without mastering the basics, in fact it was implied you don’t go anywhere without mastering these.
Rick,
Your cocky attitude always suggests that Canada is SO much better than the US. Here is my question to you: If the US is so bad when it comes to gymnastics and safety, why do so many foreign coaches come here to coach? I have seen your comments in the past about how bad our system is but, for God’s sake, enough is enough. You seem so high and mighty on your soapbox. Just give it a rest. No one’s system is perfect (as your site showed us earlier this week about the Canadian athlete that was paralyzed and the Canadian gymnastics federation just acts like she was never a part of their program.) I assume that at least some of the competitions you attend in the US are sanctioned by USAG? If they are as bad as you like to make them out to be, why do you come? I mean, I am sure they don’t mind, but why be so critical of an organization then turn right around and support them? I don’t know what the term is in Canada, but in these parts we call that hypocritical.
Look, I respect the fact that you have an opinion and you express it. That is the best thing about the US. We are allowed to do that. What I don’t like is the fact that you seem to have no respect for others’ opinions.
” I mean, I am sure they don’t mind, but why be so critical of an organization then turn right around and support them? I don’t know what the term is in Canada, but in these parts we call that hypocritical.”
Matt, a hypocrite is a person that takes a do as I say, not as I do approach. For example, they may say it’s wrong to drink out of the milk carton but then they go and drink out of the milk carton. The word you’re probably reaching for is two-faced but even that doesn’t apply to the situation because it involves saying nice things to a person’s face and then talking badly about them when they aren’t around. Anyone from USAG can read Rick’s site and see both the good and bad things Rick is saying about them.
You are also laboring under the delusion that just because something is good, you can’t say where it could be better. It’s not “hypocritical” to point out that while USAG is good in some places they could be better in some other places. It’s called being honest and it’s the only road to improvement. Many companies have a policy of “continuous improvement”. In order to continuously improve you have to be honest about where your organization is weak.
USAG has a crappy coaches education system. It’s crappy. I’m from the uS and I can see that it’s crappy. There’s no nice way to say it. Yes, you can be nice and say they try but they are past the point that they should get props for trying.
And I seriously don’t understand your claim that Rick doesn’t respect others’ opinions. In the few months I’ve read this blog, I haven’t seen Rick disrespect anyone’s opinion.
Leave a Comment