Birds of a feather invite investigation: Is gymnastics really stunting growth? – Part 2
Despite opposing views on the matter of gymnastics’ adverse affects, both contentions backed by solid research, it was decided that things were not enough of an enigma.
So a third research was conducted by the University of Melbourne by the Department of Endocrinology, this time focused on female gymnasts. The sitting heights and leg lengths of 42 retired gymnasts, 83 active gymnasts and 154 normally active individuals
were observed as part of the study.
It seemed gymnastics was losing out as female gymnasts fell short on every count: they suffered from bone age delay of 1.3 years, decrease in height, decrease in sitting height and smaller leg length.
The study also proved that the decline started occurring after gymnasts were two years into rigorous training. Prior to that duration, leg length was the only reading that showed differences between gymnasts (retired and active) and non-gymnasts.
Remember how the experiment also included 42 retired gymnasts? 13 of those gymnasts had just retired and reflected increasing sitting heights, and gymnasts who had gone for as long as eight years into retirement showed no deficits in sitting heights.
Now here are my two cents, as I try to pool the conclusions of all three researches and put them into one cohesive format which works (hopefully).
It appears that females are more vulnerable to adverse affects of gymnastics. So as far as this sport is concerned, females are the weaker s*x (all you feminists out there, I did not assert this, researches did).
This is not to say that women should not compete in gymnastics altogether or that they are less competent than their male counterparts, rather it is the simple fact that gymnastics affects their physical growth more.
We must not forget the benefits of gymnastics either. It is a proven fact that gymnastics reduces the risks of bone diseases such as osteoporosis. It also reduces chances of bone fractures in older ages.
Another research-supported fact is that gymnastics training has led to greater bone density in females, which is sustained after retirement (reportedly for even as long as 20 years), provided that dietary habits are normal.
As far as the issue of height is concerned, the fact that the pace of growth picks up as training is reduced shows that the retardation is not permanent. The issue of physical growth can be addressed by issuing controls on training levels.
I stress again on the importance of balance. It will not tip anyone’s standings out of place if everyone was required to follow a uniform allowance of training intensity.
Of course the suggestion is raw and stems from limited experience, but I believe so was the suggestion of minimum age requirement in its own time.
I strongly urge the gymnastics community and authorities to invest in research on the matter. In any sports system the biggest resources are the players.
These players dedicate their lives to the sport they play, the least they deserve is to be protected and preserved for their own sake, which is the constitutional right of any human being.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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