Gymnastics is certainly one of the most demanding of sports that requires discipline, dedication and meticulous preparation to be ready for intense competition. Ankle sprains and other foot injuries strike young gymnasts often. While many of these injuries are due to accidents and stress that come with the territory, many injuries can be avoided with proper training and regular visits to your foot doctor.

 

Common injuries that affect gymnasts include the following:Bone fractures—Acute stress and pressure can cause a bone to crack or completely break. Stress fractures can occur over a long time and may be difficult to trace without imaging studies.Ankle strains and sprains—Rolling over the ankle happens quite often in gymnastic training and competition. When the ligaments and tendons that surround the ankle joint are stressed too severely, they can stretch or even break causing severe pain, swelling and bruising.Muscle injury—When ligaments and tendons are weakened it, can cause additional strain on the muscles. Strains and pulls are very common in gymnasts.Many gymnastics injuries can be avoided by practicing the following tips:Follow all safety procedures—Be sure to use the correct footwear, safety harnesses, and custom orthotic inserts to prevent and treat injuries.Do proper warm ups and cool downs—Comprehensive stretching and warming up is critical to preventing injury.Have regular visits with your podiatrist—Regular examinations (at least twice a year) with your podiatrist will help to catch problems before they get worse and help prevent many issues from happening at all.While common gymnastic injuries can often be avoided with due diligence and proper warming up, be sure to seek the care of your foot doctor when the inevitable foot injuries and deformities occur. If you have suffered a foot or ankle injury doing gymnastics, consult with our board-certified podiatrists at Foot and Ankle Center of Fort Lee, LLC. The center offers convenient locations in Fort Lee NJ, Ringwood NJ, Flushing Queens NY, Woodhaven NY, Brooklyn NY, and Forest Hills NY. Contact us at (201) 363-9844 and schedule an appointment today!

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

Select a Location

Text Us