Effects on the Body of Tumbling on Hardwood Floors

Propelling your lower extremities into the air, flipping backward without being able to see where you will land and trying to land on the palms of your hands all make up the sport of tumbling. Spatial awareness is obviously important but exerting this level of physical intensity on hardwood floors poses its own set of dangers. To prevent injuries, the United States Tumbling and Trampoline Association tries to protect athletes with spotters, mats and padding.

Back Injuries

• According to the United States Tumbling and Trampoline Association, back pain is a primary complaint of tumblers. Vertebral twisting brought on from repetitive back flipping causes sprains to spinal column inter-vertebral discs, capsules, facets and ligaments. Muscular tendons in the back also get strained from constant torso rotation. These injuries are exacerbated when done on hardwood floors because they provide no buoyancy to boost self-propelled rotation. Springy, rod flooring helps tumblers leap high while putting less pressure on the back. Adequate stretching exercises also help to prevent these kinds of injuries.

Bone Fractures

• Missing a handstand and falling on your head or back can cause tumblers to break bones. This risk is increased dramatically if tumbling is done on hardwood floors without the support of mats or other shock absorbent material. Fractures do not have to occur immediately after a fall either. They may come about after repeated, seemingly harmless falls and trauma to the same area. Repeated pounding on the arm bones, skull, shin bones and spine can cause stress fractures. Bones can also make one complete break or break in several places.

Open Wounds

• Tumbling on hardwood floors poses the risk of cutting the skin because the floor's surface is not soft. With enough impact on a fall, the skin is prone to lacerations and breaking open. If a hardwood floor has exposed nails or rivets, these can puncture a tumbler's skin even after a well-landed flip. Open wounds as a result of trauma tend to be accompanied by nerve and tendon damage and tissue loss. Pressure should be applied to areas of blood loss. If blood loss cannot be stopped by the application of pressure, it may be indicative of arterial damage.

Contusions

• A tumbler practicing on a hardwood floor all day can walk away with enough black and blue bruises to look like they have been assaulted. These bruises are also known as contusions and are representative of soft tissue injuries. Unlike lacerations where blood can seep out of the skin, contusions involve the pooling of blood underneath injured skin. Muscle swelling can also occur representing a pooling of blood in the muscle.