Entries Tagged 'sport medicine' ↓

Brandi Smith-Young of Perfect 10.0 Physical Therapy works on the Big Guy.

(via Tony on Facebook)

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I’ve still got mixed feelings about our 2010 World Champion’s return to competition.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It worked. It got her back in ‘the game’ before the Christmas break.

But Aliya’s so competitive I fear she’ll try to beat Komova next meet. That would be a mistake. The two should make it goal #1 to win the Olympics as a Team. That should be the ‘talking point’ in media interviews.

Won’t happen, I predict. Russia has no media plan that I can see.

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Stephanie McGregor from Oregon State tore her Achilles.

Could that have been avoided? This would have been her last year competing.

… it’s not easy.

What are the signs my gymnast is getting a tendon injury or progressing toward rupture?

Brandi Smith-Young:

… In the early stages your athlete will report pain at the beginning of activities. Prime example would be reports of pain in the tendon or insertion during warm-ups which subside after getting “warmed-up”. No pain during actual practice. Reports of pain and the need to ice the tendon after practice. May or may not have any swelling present.

Read the entire article by Brandi on Gym Momentum – HOW TO AVOID TENDON RUPTURE

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The 2010 World Champion, Aliya Moustafina, will compete 3 apparatus (not Floor) at the Voronin Memorial, her first competition back since being injured on Vault in April at European Championships.

That was an ACL tear so the return does seem a little early.

There’s no TV coverage for this one so we’ll have to wait on YouTube.

(via Aliya Mustafina Online on Facebook. )

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Jenn Isbister linked to this amazing story.

… Paralympic silver medallist Monique van der Vorst has miraculously become an able-bodied Olympic hopeful after a crash reversed her paralysis.

Paralysed from the hip down since she was 13, the 27-year-old handcyclist, who has just signed with the Rabobank women’s professional cycling team to compete as a top-class able-bodied athlete, was hit by a bicycle last year while training in her wheelchair for the 2012 London Paralympics.

While recovering from the trauma, van der Vorst’s feet started to tingle and miraculously she began to move them again. From that point on she spent months in the hospital and in the rehabilitation centre trying to regain the use of her legs. …

Doctors have no explanation for her amazing recovery. …

Paralympian eyes Olympic glory after “miracle” crash

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On Tony’s new site Gym Momentum:

Injuries can range from as small as a rip to the obvious fractures and torn ligaments and ruptured tendons. Each athlete will deal with their injury differently. Some have a very high tolerance for pain while others have a relatively low threshold.

I have had gymnasts who when they ripped you would have thought that someone had taken a blow torch to their hand and other gymnasts who continued to work out on what we discovered was a broken bone in her ankle. …

Following an injury we all want the gymnasts to return to practice and be part of the group. It is good for their psychological state …

I like to see the girls back at their normal practice schedule even if hours are reduced. …

… read more

Injured athletes, if possible, should come to the gym each practice day, but stay only about half as long as the rest of their group. Do what they can still do — then go home.

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Dr. Nassar linked to an article by Jourdan Saunders:

… gymnastics can provide children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) access to a differentiated approach, which potentially can create a model program to meet each child’s individual needs in a unique and effective manner.

Gymnastics is a sport that provides an enriching environment filled with opportunities for sharpening the mind by stimulating the brain, fostering social skills, and strengthening gross and fine motor skills, while providing children with ASD an alternative method for learning and developing new skills. …

Moving Therapy to the Gym: The Benefits of Gymnastics for Children with Autism

Check the references and comments on that post for more.

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After a diagnosis of a germ cell tumor, a rare form of ovarian cancer, surgery and chemotherapy, Shannon realized more than ever that it is important to celebrate each and every day. She is focused on the future and is encouraging other cancer survivors to Seize the Day!

Shannon Miller Lifestyle

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

See more Seize the Day segments on Shannon’s YouTube channel.

(via Gymtruthteller)

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Taylor Lindsay-Noel is the Seneca gymnast who was paralyzed from a fall while training a Bars dismount over 3yrs ago.

We’ve not heard much from her since. … Until now.

She’s launched (like others) a campaign to have Ellen invite her to the TV show.

Click PLAY or watch Taylor’s pitch on YouTube.

She might not get to Ellen. But the campaign itself is a great way to bring awareness to spinal injury research. Not to mention a very good reminder to every coach and gymnast who hears her story to be CAREFUL in the gym.

Thanks Taylor.

She asks that you link to her video. Or reach out to Ellen herself:

Ellen’s Facebook or Twitter

Thank Claudine for the link.

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The 2003 German AA national champion Ronny Ziesmer was paralyzed training Tsuk double back preparing for the Athens Olympics.

… Ronny is a big fighter and on his way back into a normal life the tetraplegic sportsman is working and living on the principle: Only an active life is a fulfilled life!

* Ronny Ziesmer founded the “Alliance of Hope Foundation” which supports the worldwide research in the field of regeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord. Patron of the Foundation, the German Federal Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel.

* Ronny Ziesmer started three times at the Berlin Marathon (2009, 2010, 2011) in the handbike. His goal is to attend the 2016 Paralympics.

* Just now in October 2011 Ronny Ziesmer has just completed a very successful study of biotechnology at the German “University Lausitz” in Senftenberg (near his hometown Cottbus) as a “Bachelor of Science”.

* Ronny Ziesmer is also working for the biggest European and German TV station “ZDF” as a co-commentator for the artistic gymnastic events like worlds, Europeans or Olympic Games.

The Agency, European Gymnastics Service “GYMmedia INTERNATIONAL” supports and cared for these exceptional athletes in all its responsibilities.

(C) GYMmedia INTERNATIONAL

Click PLAY or watch a short documentary on YouTube.

That’s on the gymmedia2010 YouTube channel.

(via Vídeos de gimnasia)

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The 2010 world champion tried to compete Bars / Beam at DTB Cup this weekend. But had some knee pain. It was a no go.

As reported by Brigid McCarthy:

“The DTB ticker, after saying Mustafina had withdrawn, commented that as she helped her team prepare bars, she did not look happy at all. The crowds and many fans around the world are equally unhappy about this gymnast’s unfortunate luck of late. Let us hope we will see her soon.”

related – Examiner interview with Aliya

photo via Nils Bohl

Russia finishes 3rd as a team without her, behind Australia and Germany – Couch Gymnast

via @Double_Front and @Full_Twist

Blythe had questioned whether or not it was too soon.

It looks that way. But I’ve seen astonishingly fast recovery from ACL from super fit, super motivated young gymnasts before.

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Dr. Michael Canales interviews the likeable Jon Horton after surgery. They’ve repaired the damage from a Lisfranc injury he suffered landing short on Dragulescu Vault at the 2011 Tokyo World Championships.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I think Jon will be back, better than ever. Better on Pommels, in particular.

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Dvora Meyers is a good writer. She sums up the case against Marta Karolyi in these two posts:

Unorthodox Gymnastics – The leadership of Martha Karolyi

Slate – Last Leotard Standing

Béla and Márta Károlyi coached dozens of Olympic and World Championships medalists, adding to the list this week. Their methods have produced results.

She’s retiring from the role of U.S. National Team Coordinator after London, so there’s not much more time for critics to sound off.

The complaints in Dvora’s articles aren’t new. The position is that Americans under her watch have:

• been over-trained
• peaked too early
• suffered too high an injury rate

Is that true?

I think it was true in Marta’s first years in the job. She required, in those days, up to 10 routines on Bars and Beam the day before a competition, in some cases that I saw with my own eyes.

That was idiotic.

But from what I’ve seen, especially in Rotterdam and Tokyo, the demands are much more reasonable today. Good gymnasts can do more routines — the American girls were more capable of routines than any other nation. And they did more.

Dvora’s Slate article concludes:

… Martha Karolyi shouldn’t shoulder all the blame for the injuries suffered by Alicia Sacramone and others. Sacramone’s Achilles, for instance, has been a problem throughout her career. Karolyi, though, clearly could’ve done more to accommodate each of her athletes and taken more precautions in the run-up to the world championships.

The United States’ latest gold medal shouldn’t obscure the fact that female gymnasts keep breaking down, and not simply because gymnastics is a risky sport. With less than a year to go until the London games, we’ll find out if the United States finally learns to train smartest instead of hardest.

In Tokyo I don’t think Marta has been “too hard” on the team. And she’s certainly not responsible for injuries to Aliya Mustafina (RUS), Jessica Savona (CAN) or Sandra Izbasa (ROM).

Most nations have one or more of their top gymnasts missing in Tokyo due to injury. Fact is, this is a very risky sport. Elite female gymnasts are too injured to train 100% about 1/3 of the time.

Personally, I feel it’s the FIG rules that are too demanding. If you want to demonize someone, I’d suggest you target WT Chair Nellie Kim over Marta Karolyi.

I don’t see FIG WTC doing anything to make gymnastics “safer” for elite gymnasts. That will be brutally obvious later today when we watch a girl compete Handspring double front on Vault in Finals. That’s the “trend” today — do more difficulty if you want to win.

related – Gymnastike – interview with Marta following Jordyn Wieber’s win (VIDEO).

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