Aspiring gymnasts in the U.S. are increasingly enduring injuries and someone who holds a physical therapy job said the surge is correlated with increasingly intricate routines, according to a press release.
Almost 23,500 children ranging in age from 5 to 14 sought emergency room treatment last year for injuries linked with gymnastics, the SAFE KIDS Campaign indicates. That total runs parallel with the amount in football and rugby, among other contact sports. Fifty-two of 10,000 children involved with gymnastics will seek treatment at hospitals every year.
"As gymnastics routines become more complex the risk for injury rises," physical therapist Jenni Tuska with KORT said. "The most common injuries are in the ankles, lower back, knees, wrists, and hands. These types of injuries can be a caused by overuse and if left untreated can lead to chronic pain and more severe injuries."
Key methods of working to stave off those injuries include programs that focus on strength and flexibility, the physical therapist said.
The strong performance of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team this past summer during the 2012 Olympic Games or Games of the XXX Olympiad in London is likely to influence more young people to look into gymnastics, the press release states.