Thanks for listening to The SHIFT Show! Check out SHIFT's most popular courses here!
https://courses.shiftmovementscience.com/

Rehabbing elbow injuries in young gymnasts requires a specific approach, especially when dealing with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions and other complex conditions that lack standardized return-to-sport protocols.

• Elbow OCD occurs when repetitive compression creates a "pothole" in the cartilage of the capitellum
• OATS procedure uses a bone plug from the knee to replace damaged elbow cartilage
• Young patients who are casted post-surgery develop significant stiffness issues
• Creative approaches like using heat while allowing distractions help children tolerate stretching
• Weight-bearing should typically be delayed until 12 weeks post-surgery, unlike knee/ankle protocols
• Strength training with BFR can help maintain muscle mass during non-weight-bearing phases
• Handstand progressions should begin with sideways walking against a wall to control loading
• Return-to-sport protocols should follow 2-week phases with progressive increases in repetitions and surface hardness
• Hand position during skills affects injury risk—neutral or slightly turned in positions distribute forces better
• Strength testing should assess shoulder, elbow, and grip symmetry before return to full gymnastics

We're finalizing a comprehensive paper for the Journal of Sports Physical Therapy that will provide detailed rehab protocols from day one post-surgery through six months of recovery, creating a resource for clinicians who don't regularly work with gymnasts.

We appreciate you listening!

To learn more about SHIFT, head here - https://shiftmovementscience.com/

To learn about SHIFT's courses, check our website here - https://courses.shiftmovementscience.com/

Also, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing the podcast with your friends! 

Thanks :)

Thanks for listening to The SHIFT Show! Check out SHIFT's most popular courses here!

https://courses.shiftmovementscience.com/

Want to join our online educational community of over 1000 gymnastics professionals and get 40+ hours of gymnastics lectures? Join The Hero Lab below!

https://shiftmovementscience.com/theherolab/

Check out all our past podcast episodes here!

https://shiftmovementscience.com/podcast/