Gymnastics Safety Tips
Gymnastics is a fun, challenging sport and a great way to stay fit. Whether you’re doing a floor routine or taking a turn on the vault, follow these tips to stay safe during practices and competitions.
Staying Safe & Preventing Injuries
The tips below can help you avoid injuries and feel better prepared next time you go out onto the gym floor.
Do I Need Safety Gear to Do Gymnastics?
To help you stay safe, the gear you need for gymnastics depends on the event, like the balance beam or the vault. Safety items for gymnastics include:
Wrist Straps, Guards, and Grips
These items can be really helpful, especially for new gymnasts. They're used on the still rings, high bar, parallel bars, and uneven bars. They make it easier to hold onto the equipment and help prevent blisters and tears on your hands. Wrist guards can help prevent wrist injuries. Most grips are made of a piece of leather attached to a wrist strap. Other options include wrapping hands in sports tape or gauze.
Shoes
Shoes for doing the vault often have a reinforced bottom to help absorb the pressure of landing. Some gymnasts wear gymnastic shoes with rubber soles to prevent slips on the balance beam. Sometimes a gymnast wants heel support, and there are shoes for that, too.
Spotting Belts
Spotting belts hook into cables that are attached to the ceiling. They support gymnasts while they’re learning a new move or practicing something tough.
How Can I Stay Safe at Practices and Competitions?
From warming up to knowing when to stop exercising, these habits can help keep you safe.
Get Ready
Before starting, gymnasts should get a sports physical. The doctor can check for any health problems and talk about sports safety. Most schools won't let athletes play unless they've had a sports physical within the past year. Plus, being in good shape can help you avoid injuries.
Also, confirm that a qualified coach or program director is at every practice. The person should be up to date on the latest safety guidelines and rules of gymnastics.
Take Precautions
Here are some important safety precautions in gymnastics to help avoid injuries during practice and competition:
- Warm up and stretch first. Then practice only on padded floors, never on a hard surface. Mats should be placed under the equipment and kept secure so they won’t move. Make sure the equipment is in good shape and sturdy.
- Have a coach spot you (help you do a move) for all new or hard stunts. If you’re not comfortable with a gymnastic move, let the coach know. If the person isn't supportive, tell a parent or another trusted adult. Do only stunts at competitions that you’ve practiced many times.
- Learn to fall safely. Coaches can teach you how to fall in a way that makes it less likely you’ll get hurt.
- Stop doing gymnastics if you feel pain or get hurt. An athletic trainer, coach, doctor, or nurse should clear you before you go back to it.
- Know the team plan for emergencies. This includes calling 911 or the local emergency number for a head, neck, or back injury. It also means not moving the hurt gymnast.
- Try to play different sports throughout the year to help prevent overuse injuries (repetitive stress injuries). These happen when someone trains too much or makes the same motions over and over.
- Avoid one-on-one lessons unless other people are in the gym or parents are allowed to attend. Tell a parent or another trusted adult if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable. This is in line with the USA Gymnastics (USAG) Safe Sport Policy, which aims to help protect athletes.
Follow Gym Rules
When you’re at the gym, it’s important to follow its rules, like not training alone. Wear gymnastic clothes that won’t get caught on any of the equipment. Avoid wearing jewelry and don’t chew gum.
Be sure to have just one person at a time on each piece of equipment. When jumping into a foam pit, land on your feet, bottom, or back. Don’t dive headfirst or land on your knees.
How Can I Stay Healthy?
Doing gymnastics in safe areas and taking care of your body can help you perform at your best. Keep these tips in mind.
Safe Spaces to Practice
Gyms or other sports facilities are the safest places to do gymnastics. While it can be tempting to practice in an open patch of grass in a garden or yard, the ground might be uneven and can have rocks, holes, or sprinkler heads. It also isn’t cushioned like the mats in gyms, making injuries more likely.
Healthy Eating
Although gymnastics is great exercise, there can be lots of pressure to stay thin. This puts gymnasts at risk for body image issues and eating disorders (like anorexia or bulimia), which can lead to serious health problems.
Coaches and parents should promote healthy eating and know the warning signs of eating disorders. It’s also important for you to learn how to eat healthy. If you feel pressured to lose weight, tell a parent or another trusted adult. The sooner a body image issue or an eating disorder is treated, the better.
Safety in Other Sports
Safety matters whether you’re doing gymnastics or another athletic activity. To help prevent injuries in other sports, check out these articles: