Gymnasts have a relatively high injury rate and severity with highly qualified gymnasts suffering the most. One of the common injuries in gymnastics is the overuse-type that often remains latent until near the decisive moments of competition when the injury rises to the level of incapacitation. Is there a technology and methodology available to monitor gymnasts during development that can identify latent injuries and thus alert medical personnel to potential performance-limiting problems at the earliest possible time? Imaging consists of the use of a thermal camera to identify inflamed areas and asymmetric temperature patterns. Thermal asymmetries are determined via thermal image and pain is assessed with palpation, history, and subject identification. Video recordings are made of the involved areas and recorded electronically for transfer to physicians, physical therapists, and athletic trainers for further investigation and remediation. This is an ongoing descriptive study of the use of thermal imaging on inflammation and injury in gymnasts. Thermal differentiation of tissue areas is performed by visual inspection and bilateral comparison of the thermal images. Thermal images show bilateral and tissue area thermal differentials by differences in gray scale. This information discriminates injuries, inflammation, and other conditions without invasive procedures. The ability to identify and thus treat injuries while they are minor is a significant improvement over waiting until the injuries become increasingly symptomatic and performance-limiting. Thermal imaging has become a mainstay of our laboratory in assisting young athletes in remaining injury free, making return-to-activity decisions, and collaborating with medical personnel to identify, prevent and treat injuries and other conditions.

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Abstract available in the Medicine and Sciences in Sports and Exercise.

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Purpose: To continue investigation of the use of vibration to enhance acute range of motion while assessing the influence of vibration and stretching on pressure-to-pain threshold perception. Methods: Ten young male gymnasts were assessed for split range of motion. One side split was randomly assigned as the experimental condition, and the other side split was assigned as the control. Both side splits were performed on a vibration device; the experimental condition had the device turned on and the control condition was performed with the device turned off. In addition, the athletes were assessed for pressure-to-pain transition using an algometer on the biceps femoris (stretched muscle) and vastus lateralis (nonstretched muscle) bilaterally. Results: Pre-post difference scores between the vibrated split (most improved) and the nonvibrated split were statistically different (P = .001, 95% confidence interval of the difference 2.3 to 5.8 cm). Following the stretching protocol, the force values for the pressure-to-pain threshold comparing the vibrated and nonvibrated biceps femoris muscle were not statistically different. The nonstretched vastus lateralis muscle also showed no statistical difference in pressure-to-pain threshold between the vibration and nonvibration conditions. Conclusion: This study showed that vibration improved split range of motion over stretching alone, but did not show a difference in pressure-to-pain perception in either the stretched or nonstretched muscles.

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Abstract available in the Medicine and Sciences in Sports and Exercise.

The current manuscript has been adapted from the official position statement of the UK Strength and Conditioning Association on youth resistance training. It has subsequently been reviewed and endorsed by leading professional organisations within the fields of sports medicine, exercise science and paediatrics. The authorship team for this article was selected from the fields of paediatric exercise science, paediatric medicine, physical education, strength and conditioning and sports medicine.

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