PE #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

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Kingsley Gibson Sydney Sports Medicine Centre at Homebush

Sydney Wests Sports Medicine at Rooty Hill

Clinical Edge

Available online education with Clinical Edge