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Their still-developing connective tissue and bones give young gymnasts an edge when it comes to mastering difficult movements that require high flexibility. But this advantage also makes them more vulnerable to injuries that affect their performance and sometimes cause long-term issues.
If you’re a parent or coach to a junior gymnast, we’ve written this guide with our top nutrition and movement tips to help your child get better at gymnastics while reducing the risk of injury.
1. Provide a Balanced Diet and Hydration
Young gymnasts need a nutritionally-dense diet that provides a balance of carbohydrates to fuel intense workouts, proteins for muscle recovery and development, and fats for brain and hormonal health.
- Opt for fibre-rich complex carbs like whole grains, starchy veggies, and legumes.
- Choose healthy fat sources such as avocados and nuts.
- Go for lean proteins like poultry, eggs, and fish.
In addition to providing a balanced diet, high-quality foods deliver important micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and iron, which are essential for athletic performance and development.
Don’t forget to keep them hydrated. In most cases, water is enough. But during hot and humid weather or intensive gymnastics sessions, junior gymnasts may need electrolytes to replace what they lose through sweat.
2. Adequate Rest and Recovery
Most youth gymnastics injuries are due to overuse, which happens when gymnasts train too hard for too long without getting enough rest. Proper training load management is important to balance training workload with adequate recovery.
Getting enough rest also prevents injuries caused by training when tired and exhausted.
3. Build Strength Alongside Flexibility (Stretches & Conditioning)
Developing a good range of motion is obviously core to gymnastics. But you also need the strength to control that motion. Some gymnastics movements, like handstands and ring holds, depend a lot on strength.
Building strength is just as important for performance as flexibility. It also conditions your joints, allowing them to handle more impact and stress without injury.
Daily stretches and conditioning workouts are the best way to build both strength and flexibility. Strength training with gym weights or body weight can also help target specific muscles.
4. Prioritise Movement Quality Over Difficulty
Instead of rushing through increasingly difficult movements, focus more on perfecting movement quality. By ‘quality’ we mean they can do it with the right form, using the proper technique, and with a low risk of injury.
For example, before they progress to a bar pullover, they need to know how to do a good pull-up. Before they can do a double backflip, they need to have perfected a regular backflip.
One of the most important skills they need to learn before attempting more difficult moves is proper landing technique. Most lower-body injuries are caused by poor landing, so mastering that before trying riskier moves is extremely important for their safety.
5. Protect Growth Plates
Growth plates are areas of still-developing bone material found in joints and along the spine. They are vulnerable to overuse injuries and fractures. Common growth plate injuries include gymnast’s wrist, Sever’s disease (heel pain), and Osgood-Schlatter disease (knee pain).
All the tips we’ve discussed above will help protect growth plates in your junior gymnast. Have them eat a balanced diet, ensure they get enough rest, focus on proper form and technique, and include regular stretching and conditioning in their routine.
6. Regular Screening by a Sports Physio
Don’t visit a physio only when dealing with an injury. With regular proactive screening, a sports physio can:
- Catch early injuries (niggles) before they get worse.
- Correct poor form, muscle imbalances, and joint instability before they lead to injuries.
- Develop training plans that improve flexibility, strength, and technique.
The support of a sports physio is especially helpful during growth spurts (when growth plates are at the highest risk), when progressing to a new training phase, or when there’s an increase in training volume.
Tailored Treatment Plans for Junior Gymnasts
At Ace Sports Clinic Malvern, we work with athletes of all ages to treat injuries and improve performance.
Our personalised care plans will help your junior gymnast get injured less and move better. We use physiotherapy, osteopathy, exercise physiology, and other therapies to enhance flexibility, strength and technique. If they have an injury, we also offer tailored treatment plans that support faster healing while preventing recurrence.
Give us a call today at 03 9824 8001 to get a customised care plan for your young gymnast.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified professional for personalised guidance based on your specific needs and circumstances.