026. Gymnastics injuries with Kingsley Gibson

Gymnastics places some fairly unique demands on fairly young bodies. In episode 26 of the Physio Edge podcast, I discuss these demands with Kingsley Gibson, a Sports Titled Physiotherapist that has worked with Australian Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Shooting and Hockey teams at a number of Commonwealth and Olympic games, and works with elite gymnasts on a daily basis. For his services to gymnastics, in 2000 the Commonwealth awarded Kingsley with a Sports Services Medal. So Kingsley has a lot of experience to draw on, and we got into detail on a number of topics.

In this podcast we discuss:

• Common injury patterns in the various gymnastic disciplines
• Important factors to consider when returning gymnasts to training and competition
• Factors that can influence your gymnasts treatment outcome
• Communication with parents and coaches
• How to best implement load management strategies
• Various motor control patterns in gymnasts that contribute to injuries
• Screening gymnasts
• Designing specific upper limb rehab programs
• Lower limb and lumbar spine rehab programs
• Management of acute vs chronic injuries
• Stress reactions in the Lumbar spine
• Apophyseal injuries - hip flexors, hamstrings, calcaneus (Sever’s) and Osgood-Schlatter’s
• Management of apophyseal injuries compared to tendinopathy
• Motor control/“stability” patterns in gymnasts
• When to order imaging
• Growth plate injury management - particularly in the wrist
• The effect of other factors such as training surfaces and equipment on injury

Links of Interest

• Become incredibly flexible by subscribing to the Physio Edge podcast or giving it a review on iTunes
• Kingsley Gibson Sydney Sports Medicine Centre at Homebush
• Sydney Wests Sports Medicine at Rooty Hill
• Clinical Edge
• Available online education with Clinical Edge