It's the satisfaction of a perfectly executed routine. It's the thrill of spinning around the uneven bars or swinging from the rings. It's the precision of the balance beam. It's gymnastics, and for millions of people with Olympic dreams, it's a great sport and a fun way to get a muscular, toned body.

Gymnastics presents a very real risk of injury, though, with its demanding physicality and immovable equipment. To help keep things safe during practice and competition, follow these tips.

Why Is Gymnastics Safety Important?

Many gymnasts have been injured by colliding with and falling off of equipment, but lots of injuries occur during floor exercises too. Most injuries are relatively minor — with sprained ankles, wrist sprains, and foot injuries among the more common ones.

Broken bones, ligament tears, and concussions are also hazards for gymnasts, as are lower-back problems, Achilles tendonitis, and other overuse problems. Gymnasts also might put pressure on themselves to stay thin, and poor diet and nutrition can make people weaker and more prone to injury.

Gear Guidelines

What you will need in the way of protective equipment varies from event to event. Some of the more common items include:

• Wrist straps, guards, and grips. These are used by male gymnasts on the still rings, high bar, and parallel bars and by female gymnasts on the uneven bars. They're meant to improve a gymnast's hold on the apparatus and decrease friction on the skin to keep hands from developing painful blisters. Most grips consist of a piece of leather attached to a wrist strap. Other options include wrapping the hands in sports tape or gauze. Gymnasts, especially beginners and youngsters, should use grips, tape, or gauze to protect their hands from blistering and tearing. Typically, the pros go bare handed to "toughen" their palms with calluses but it's a painful process that can take months.
• Footwear. What you wear (or don't wear!) on your feet depends on the event, the performing surface, and your experience. If you wear shoes while competing in the vault, you might want to use ones with a reinforced toe to help absorb the pressure of landing. Some balance beam competitors prefer shoes with rubber soles to protect against slipping.
• Spotting belts. You'll want to use a safety belt whenever you are practicing a new trick or attempting difficult maneuvers. Generally, these belts hook into cables that are attached to the ceiling.

Maintaining a Safe Facility

Get into the habit of checking that the equipment you'll be performing (or practicing) on is in good working order. Setup is important too: Equipment should be spaced well apart and set up in such a way that gymnasts can't collide with other gymnasts, spectators, or equipment.

The floors of the facility should be well padded to reduce the force from landings. Mats should be placed under the equipment and properly secured at all times.

Be sure there is first aid — and someone who knows how to administer it — available anywhere you practice or compete. You should also be prepared for emergency situations by having a responsible adult or someone with a driver's license on hand to take an injured athlete to the emergency room. Call 911 for emergency medical services if someone has a head or back injury, but don't attempt to move a person who has had a serious fall. Keep a cell phone handy or know the location of a public phone to call for medical help if you need to.