Gymnastics requires a lot of time and intense training. Many parents like to start their kids young in gymnastics to help them better learn technique.
Not only do gymnasts need to be strong and flexible, but they also need to develop speed, balance and grace — which can lead to injury if not trained properly. In fact, there are more than 86,000 gymnastic injuries each year.
Dr. Jordan Vokes from Pediatric Orthopedics of Southwest Florida joined ABC7 to discuss the different injuries gymnasts can deal with. He states that most injuries are a result of overuse or stress, and they tend to happen in the wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle and back.
Dr. Vokes suggests limiting training hours for younger kids and waiting until they are older before specializing in a sport. Also, take one day off of all organized sports to give the body time to rest. Finally, never ignore pain. If it hurts, talk to a specialist.
For more information, check out
pedsortho.net
.
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