Gymnastics is a difficult, demanding and strenuous sport, and Subiaco Sports Massage Clinic therapists provide ongoing soft tissue therapy for the WAIS Women’s Gymnastics programme, as well as the WAIS Diving programme, particularly in view of elite level training intensity, the repetitive loading of muscles and joints, the high impact nature of the sport, and the undeveloped bones of young athletes. Many gymnasts and divers experience both overuse and acute injuries including ankle sprains, lower back pain, muscle strains, wrist impingement, shoulder dysfunction, and knee trauma. Because the bones of children are still in the process of growing and growth plates are the weakest areas of the growing skeleton – even weaker than the nearby ligaments, tendons and muscles – they are vulnerable to injuries. These include Sever’s heel, Osgood-Schlatter’s and other apophysitis problems, as well as spondylolysis and other fractures.
One of the most common complaints our therapists deal with is back pain. Back injuries in adolescent athletes often stem from repetitive stressful body movements. A typical treatment for this kind of back pain includes trigger point therapy (which deactivates overly contracted muscle fibres that develop as nodules in the muscles that arch or extend the spine); cross fibre friction on tendons, to reduce pressure and inflammation at bony attachment sites; gentle mobilizations to loosen surrounding tight muscles and increase mobility; lactic acid flushes to aid recovery and decrease pain, and myofascial, muscular and neural stretches to re-lengthen overused muscles and increase mobility and pain-free range of movement.
Our therapists work with coaches and in conjunction with physiotherapists and sports doctors to significantly contribute to preventing, managing and rehabilitating most injuries. The lead therapist for gymnastics and diving is Natasha Brock. Other therapists who treat these athletes are Mandy Burness, Jaye Thomas and Kristie Harris.
