Are Ankle Weights, Oversplits, and Aggressive Hip Flexibility Drills Bad for Gymnasts? Why & What To Do Instead
Today on the podcast is Physical Therapist and former Collegiate gymnast Kaysha Heck, PT, DPT, SCS discussing hip flexibility and injuries.
Kaysha has unfortunately had a lot of hip injuries herself as a result of outdated flexibility methods such as over spilts, using ankle weights, and holding splits and stretches for two to three minutes plus.
She is now on the other side of 10 hip surgeries and reflecting back on what can she have changed.
We discuss:
- Kaysha’s gymnastics story, 10 hip surgeries.
- How does a gymnast atomically get into the splits?
- Labrum tears and growth plate related injuries.
- Stop using ankle weights.
- Is over splits bad for gymnasts?
- Why you need to screen athletes who can’t don’t have their splits.
- The dangers of 2-minute overspilts.
- Is three full over splits realistic and possible for gymnasts?
- Is there a magic exercise for getting splits flat? And…
- Should stretching hurt?
This is a MUST listen episode for anyone in gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, or the hypermobile community wanting to work splits.
Are Ankle Weights, Oversplits, and Aggressive Hip Flexibility Drills Bad for Gymnasts? Why & What To Do Instead
Want to learn more? Research articles:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697339/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4718498/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5193525/pdf/354-360.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4481673/pdf/10.1177_1941738114532431.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26944667/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29506306/
Hope it helps!
– Dave
Dr. Dave Tilley DPT, SCS, CSCS
CEO/Founder of SHIFT Movement Science
