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About Karen M. Goeller
Expertise
Karen Goeller, CSCS ... http://www.KarenGoeller.com

Karen Goeller, CSCS, has written a variety of gymnastics and fitness books from 2001 until present. She has educated thousands of coaches, teachers, fitness trainers, athletes, gymnastics parents, and fitness enthusiasts with her books, articles, and in person. Karen Goeller has been training athletes since 1978 and adults since 1986. She has an education that includes training in emergency medicine, physical therapy, and nutrition. She has held certifications that include NSCA-CSCS, Fitness Trainer, EMT-D, Nutritional Analysis, and many Gymnastics Certifications among others. Karen Goeller has tremendous experience with training in a variety of settings. She is the creator and author of the Swing Set Fitness books, the author of the Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning books, and she has written numerous training programs and articles. Karen Goeller has written more gymnastics books than anyone in the USA. Her books are used by fitness experts, sports coaches, teachers, and athletes worldwide. Karen Goeller has worked for world famous gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, owned a gymnastics club for ten years, and has been featured in several newspapers and on television many times. Karen Goeller offers sports performance training and private gymnastics training in NJ and through the web.

Karen Goeller will gladly attend events, speak for your group, help the media with gymnastics and fitness stories, and autograph her books. Please call 888-496-8749 to discuss your idea or request an interview.

Karen can help you organize your training program, aid in the prevention of overuse injuries, reduce overuse injuries, and recognize strengths and weaknesses.

Visit Karen Goeller's websites for more information on her products and services...
http://www.GymnasticsBooks.com
http://www.BestGymnasticsTraining.com
http://www.SwingSetFitness.com
http://www.KarenGoeller.com

Experience
Karen Goeller has been training athletes since 1978 and adults since 1986. She owned a gymnastics club for 10 years. Author of gymnastics drills and conditioning books, swing set fitness books, gymnastics and fitness journals. Karen hosted and directed two scientific studies in her gymnastics facility. She had the first USATT Trampoline Team in all of NY State and the 1996 USATT National Champion.
Karolyi's Gymnastics Camp: Seven summers, 1989-1996. In 1992 Karen was the First Female Karolyi Camp Director. Coached levels 6 through elite.
USAGTC: Coached all levels at camp and in 1997 held a flexibility clinic for the coaches with a sports-scientist.
International Gymnastics Camp: Instructor of athletes and coaches at training clinics for ten years, all levels. 1987 Summer camp coach, all levels.

Certifications Held…NSCA CSCS, Fitness, USAG National Safety Certification, EMT-Defibrillation, CPR, Nutritional Analysis, Counseling Techniques, Childcare Fundamentals, USAG Level 1-4 Skill Evaluator, and USAG Meet Director among others.
Books by Karen Goeller…Fitness on a Swing Set with Training Programs, Swing Set Workouts, Fitness on a Swing Set, One Swing Set Workout E-Book, Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Exercises, Handstand Drills and Conditioning Exercises, Gymnastics Drills: Walkover, Limber, Back Handspring, Gymnastics Conditioning for the Legs and Ankles, Gymnastics Journal: Scores, Goals, Dreams, Gymnastics Conditioning: Five Conditioning Workouts, Most Frequently Asked Questions about Gymnastics, Fitness Journal: Goals, Training, Success, Strength Training Journal, Tumbling Conditioning, and many training programs... Glide Kip, Tumbling, Speed, Fitness, Legs Plus, Golf, etc.
Download training programs at http://www.LegsPlusWorkouts.com. Buy books at http://www.GymnasticsBooks.com

Organizations
USA Gymnastics (USAG) and National Strength and Conditioning Assoc (NSCA)

Publications
USA Gymnastics Technique Magazine, Cheer Coach and Advisor Magazine, and various websites.

Books by Karen Goeller
Fitness on a Swing Set with Training Programs (978-0-6151-5028-4)
Swing Set Workouts (978-0-6151-5170-0)
Fitness on a Swing Set (978-0-6151-4788-8)
One Swing Set Workout (E-Book)
Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Exercises (978-1-4116-0579-4)
Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning for the Handstand (978-1-4116-5000-8)
Gymnastics Drills: Walkover, Limber, Back Handspring (978-1-4116-1160-3)
Gymnastics Conditioning for the Legs and Ankles (978-1-4116-2033-9)
Gymnastics Journal: My Scores, My Goals, My Dreams (978-1-4116-4145-7)
Gymnastics Conditioning: Five Conditioning Workouts (978-0-6151-4759-8)
The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Gymnastics (1-59113-372-6)
Fitness Journal: My Goals, My Training, My Success (978-1-8472-8444-0)
Strength Training Journal
Gymnastics Conditioning: Tumbling Conditioning
Countless fitness and gymnastics training programs... Glide Kip, Tumbling, Core, Advanced abs, Endurance, Fitness, Legs Plus, Golf, etc. Download at http://www.LegsPlusWorkouts.com

Visit http://www.GymnasticsBooks.com for more information!

Education/Credentials
Karen Goeller has an education that includes training in emergency medicine, physical therapy, and nutrition. She has held certifications that include NSCA-CSCS, Fitness Trainer, EMT-D, Nutritional Analysis, and many Gymnastics Certifications among others.

Past/Present Clients
Read client testimonials at http://www.BestSportsConditioning.com.

You are here: Experts > Recreation/Outdoors > Gymnastics > Gymnastics > Girls gymnastics conditioning after an injury

Gymnastics - Girls gymnastics conditioning after an injury

Expert: Karen M. Goeller - 9/23/2009

Question
Hello Karen,

My daughter is a 16 yr. old Level 8 gymnast (moving to level 9)who suffered a "Clay Shovelers Fracture" to her C7 Vertebra. The Orthopedic Surgeon had her stop all work outs except for using an elliptical, spin class, and stretching, no upper body exercise.

She has been cleared to start working out but to do it very slowly. We haven't been give any specific ways in which to bring her back into competition shape.

Can you suggest a conditioning regimen (exercises) to help her along. He told her for the next two weeks no vault, no bars, on the beam and floor leaps, turns, the next two weeks after that, light upper body exercises but nothing specific.

I just want help getting her started where she does not reinjure the affected area or suffer a new injury from the lack of inactivity.

Your help would be very much appreciated!

Sincerely,

Roger

Answer

Gymnastics Training: S

Hello Roger,

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about your daughter's injury. As you know, it is a very serious injury. Since this is not common knowledge, I feel that I should include the description of your daughter's injury for our other readers...

CLAY SHOVELER'S FRACTURE is an uncommon breakage of the spine of the vertebrae from the lower neck or upper back as a result of stress. It usually occurs in laborers who perform activities involving lifting weights rapidly with the arms extended. Examples of these activities include shoveling soil, rubble or snow up and over the head backwards, using a pickax or scythe, and pulling out roots. The shear force of the muscles (trapezius and rhomboid muscles) pulling on the spine at the base of the neck actually tears off the bone of the spine. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7988

Rowe proposes three general mechanisms: direct, indirect, and stress-related. The direct mechanism is characterized by a blow directly applied to the spinous process leading to a fracture. This mechanism often occurs in high contact sports such as basketball, football and wrestling. The indirect mechanism is often cited as the most common mechanism and is considered to be a true avulsion type injury. In this mechanism, the cervical spine undergoes a ballistic-type motion in flexion, extension or rotation. During abrupt flexion, as in a motor vehicle accident, the spinous process may be avulsed due to the counterforce of the supraspinous, interspinous and nuchal ligaments, as well as muscle attachments of the rhomboids and trapezius, which serve as protective mechanisms. During rapid forced hyperextension, the spinous processes are impacted and may fracture. http://www.jcca-online.org/client/cca/JCCA.nsf/objects/An+atypical+clay+shoveler...

Please correct me if I am wrong... Since the mechanisms can be either a ballistic motion of flexion and extension or an abrupt flexion and knowing our sport, this tells me that your daughter may have whipped her head back during one or many skills, either once or over the course of time. If the injury occurred as a result of whipping her head back during certain skills (result of poor technique ) such as the clear hip circle on uneven bars, ring jump on floor, or backward tumbling on floor, your daughter must change her technique. I know this sounds extreme, but many gymnasts are in the habit of throwing their head back and they must change that technique to avoid whiplash and this injury. I know that does not help in this moment, but it is something to think about upon return to the sport.

So how does your daughter get from where she is now and back into competition shape?
As her doctor said, SLOWLY. With the jumps and leaps you should tell your daughter to avoid ring jumps until the doctor clears her for that head whip motion. I would instruct your daughter to perform drills for EVERY skill for at least two weeks before she performs the actual skills because her muscles may not be in top condition right now. If she attempts to perform skills without proper conditioning, she may become injured because she lost strength or flexibility. I do not want to scare you, but it is important for your daughter to regain this strength and flexibility before she does skills, combinations, and routines. With leaps and jumps, she should perform drills to start because the landing from the leap or jump may be painful for her. You must ask the doctor when she will be allowed to perform a simple bridge or back walkover, both require the head to go back. My guess is that will come after the forward and side moving skills. There are plenty of drills and conditioning exercises in for basic skills in the book, Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Exercises (ISBN 9781411605794). Your daughter will feel like she is training for a lower level, but she must return strong and with proper technique in order to avoid more injuries. If your daqughter goes through the transition properly now, she will avoid problems in the future. There are so many drills, conditining exercises, and other factors that go into the recipe for returning to competiion shape that I cannot possibly list them here. I wish I could because your daughter needs a clear action plan with step by step progressions.

If you are in or near NJ I can help your daughter in person with this transition. If not, I can train your daughter through the web by emailing drills and conditioning workouts. Many coaches are not knowledgeable enough when it comes to helping gymnasts return to competition shape after an injury. Most go from not even allowing the gymnast to enter the gym to condition non-injured areas, but then they allow the gymnast to perform the most difficult skills as soon as they return. The coach that lacks knowledge allows the gymnast to skip the necessary progressions for the safe return. Returning from an injury requires slow and steady progressions in order for the injury to completely heal, the muscles to return to top condition, and the gymnast to become mentally strong.

The information on my training services is at http://www.BestGymnasticsTraining.com and http://www.BestSportsConditioning.com. I consult with a physical therapist and this greatly helps with the success rate of our athletes. My contact information is on my websites. Please contact me directly to let me now how I can help your daughter...

Karen Goeller
http://www.KarenGoeller.com
http://www.GymnasticsStuff.com
http://www.SwingSetFitness.com
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