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Kaysha has unfortunately had a lot of hip injuries herself as a result of outdated flexibility methods such as oversplits, using ankle weights and holding splits and stretches for two to three minutes plus.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 oversplits.

 

Is three full over splits realistic and possible for gymnasts?

 

Is there a magic exercise for getting splits flat?

 

And… 

 

Should stretching hurt?

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