athletes playing in pain

Like most gymnastics clubs, we have a number of girls out with injury right now, right in the middle of our competitive season.

One kicked the low bar by accident doing Pak. One tripped over her feet at the gym … we are claiming she was training triple back off beam.

Another suffers chronic pain. Cause not clear. All modes of treatment including extended rest does not alleviate it.

Frustrating.

Pain and Beth Tweddle have been constant companions since the 2006 world asymmetric bars champion broke her left foot warming up for the British championships eight years earlier.

In 1999 pins were removed from her ankle. A year later the joint required manipulation under a local anesthetic.

Flaking bone was removed in 2001 before surgery on both ankles in 2002. Two years later she underwent surgery on a torn bicep tendon.

“I’ve had enough injuries to last me a lifetime,” Britain’s first world gymnastics champion told Reuters in a telephone interview during a break from training for the Beijing Olympics.

“In a way it’s made me a stronger person, it’s made me more determined to go out and prove to people that an injury isn’t going to stop me.”

“I think every athlete competes through certain aspects of pain. I guess that’s just part of the sport. …

Pain is gymnast Tweddle’s constant companion – Yahoo News

credit – British Olympic Association

Beth does not plan on training through to the 2012 Olympics in London. Neither has she signed with any NCAA gymnastics team, so far as I have seen.

All older, high level competitive gymnasts are “injured”. They do things in training that would be avoided by non-gymnasts.

I recall Russian coaches using the term “functionally healthy” to mean “injured, but still able to do the training program”.

Pain management is essential. Smart coaching is essential.

Beth was “was the talk of the town” after the WAG preliminary competition in Milan.

Beth Tweddle – Wikipedia