GYMNASTICS - SPORT DEVELOPMENT AND INFLUENCE ON GROWTH RELATED INJURIES

Abstract

Michelle De Highden is the High Performance Program Manager and Head Coach for the MLC Gymnastics Club. The gymnastics program has over 850 members ranging from International gymnasts to Recreational and Cheerleading programs. MLC has been an integral part of the National team program since 1999, developing gymnasts onto State and National teams. Michelle is a National team coach who has placed gymnasts on the Olympic Squad (2004), World Championship team (2010) and coach of the Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist (2010). Michelle has a teaching background in Queensland where she wrote the School of Excellence program for Gymnastics. Michelle will talk about the prevalence of growth related overuse injuries to highlight the issue between training load and growth in junior gymnasts.