Calisthenics/Injuries

Injury Modifications

5 injury guides

Guidelines for safely modifying workouts when dealing with common injuries. Always consult a healthcare professional for specific medical advice.

Core Strain

Core strains in calisthenics occur from the intense demands of skills like front/back levers, planches, L-sits, and dragon flags. These movements require extreme isometric core strength and often push muscles to failure. Common injuries: rectus abdominis strains, oblique strains, hip flexor strains (often grouped with "core"), and occasionally more serious issues like sports hernias.

Warning Signs

  • ⚠Pain not improving with rest
  • ⚠Pain spreading to groin area
  • ⚠Bulge appearing in abdomen or groin
  • ⚠Sharp pain with coughing or straining

Red Flags - Seek Immediate Care

  • ●Visible bulge that increases with straining - POSSIBLE HERNIA, medical evaluation
  • ●Severe groin pain - evaluate for sports hernia or other pathology
  • ●Pain radiating down leg - may be hip flexor or referred pain
  • ●Unable to do daily activities without pain - needs evaluation

When to Seek Professional Care

  • →Suspected hernia (bulge present)
  • →Severe groin pain
  • →Pain not improving after 4 weeks of rest
  • →Pain affecting daily function significantly

General Principles

  • •Progressive overload is essential - don't rush skill progressions
  • •Core fatigue increases injury risk - don't train to absolute failure often
  • •Hip flexor and ab strains can present similarly
  • •Full recovery needed before returning to high-intensity skills
  • •Sports hernias (athletic pubalgia) need medical evaluation

Recommended Exercises

Dead bugs (controlled)

3 sets × 10 reps

Core engagement without high load

Bird dogs

3 sets × 10 reps

Core stability with minimal strain

Hip flexor stretching

3 sets × reps

Hip flexor strains often coexist

Pallof press

3 sets × 10 reps

Anti-rotation core work, lower strain

Glute bridges

3 sets × 15 reps

Posterior chain to balance hip flexor work

Return to Full Training

Criteria:

  • ✓Pain-free daily activities (coughing, laughing)
  • ✓Pain-free basic core exercises
  • ✓Successful return to easier skill progressions
  • ✓No pain with increasing load

Progression:

  1. 1.Week 1-2: Rest from aggravating movements, gentle mobility
  2. 2.Week 3-4: Basic core exercises (dead bugs, bird dogs)
  3. 3.Week 5-6: Regressed skill progressions
  4. 4.Week 7-8: Progress intensity gradually
  5. 5.Week 9+: Return to normal training

Elbow

MildModerateSevere

When to Seek Professional Care

  • →Pain lasting more than 2 weeks despite modification
  • →Significant swelling
  • →Sharp pain during movement
  • →Loss of ROM
  • →Numbness or tingling in forearm or hand

General Principles

  • •Elbow issues in calisthenics typically result from overuse, not acute injury
  • •Eccentric strengthening is the gold standard for tendinopathy
  • •Complete rest often makes things worse; active recovery is better
  • •Tendons need blood flow to heal - light movement helps

Contraindicated Movements

Straight-arm lever work (front lever, back lever, planche)Full ROM dips with elbow painDead hangs to full extension with painMuscle-up transitionsHigh-volume pulling

Recommended Exercises

Wrist curls (for golfer's elbow)

3 sets × 15 reps

Eccentric strengthening heals medial epicondylitis

Reverse wrist curls (for tennis elbow)

3 sets × 15 reps

Eccentric strengthening heals lateral epicondylitis

Tyler twists with flexbar

3 sets × 15 reps

Gold standard eccentric exercise for elbow tendinopathy

Light band work

2 sets × 20 reps

Promotes blood flow for tendon healing

Self-massage to forearm muscles

1 sets × 5 reps

Releases tension in forearm muscles that stress the elbow

Return to Full Training

Criteria:

  • ✓No pain during daily activities
  • ✓Pain-free grip strength
  • ✓Can perform 10 band-assisted pullups without pain
  • ✓No pain after training (delayed onset)

Progression:

  1. 1.Week 1-2: Eccentric rehab only, no pulling
  2. 2.Week 3-4: Light band pulling, horizontal rows
  3. 3.Week 5-6: Introduce pullups with assistance
  4. 4.Week 7-8: Gradual return to normal volume
  5. 5.Week 9+: Reintroduce straight-arm work carefully

Lower Back

Lower back issues in calisthenics arise from the combination of hyperextension demands (back levers, skin the cats), compression requirements (L-sits, front levers), and dynamic movements. Many calisthenics skills require either significant spinal extension or sustained core bracing under load, both of which can stress the lumbar spine.

Warning Signs

  • ⚠Radiating leg pain
  • ⚠Numbness or tingling in legs
  • ⚠Weakness in legs
  • ⚠Pain worsening despite rest

Red Flags - Seek Immediate Care

  • ●Saddle numbness (groin, inner thighs) - CAUDA EQUINA EMERGENCY, ER immediately
  • ●Bladder or bowel dysfunction - ER immediately
  • ●Bilateral leg weakness - ER immediately
  • ●Progressive neurological symptoms

When to Seek Professional Care

  • →Any red flag symptoms
  • →Radiating leg pain
  • →No improvement after 2-4 weeks
  • →Affecting daily activities significantly

General Principles

  • •Don't sacrifice spinal position for skill progression
  • •Hip mobility reduces compensatory lumbar stress
  • •Core stability protects the spine under load
  • •Extension skills carry higher risk for those with back issues
  • •Progress skills slowly - spine needs time to adapt

Recommended Exercises

McGill Big 3 (bird dogs, side planks, curl-ups)

3 sets × 10 reps

Evidence-based spine stability

Dead bugs

3 sets × 10 reps

Core control without extension

Hip flexor stretching

3 sets × reps

Tight hip flexors pull on lumbar spine

Cat-cow mobility

3 sets × 10 reps

Gentle spinal mobility

Glute strengthening

3 sets × 15 reps

Hip extension to counteract flexor dominance

Return to Full Training

Criteria:

  • ✓Pain-free daily activities
  • ✓Pain-free core exercises
  • ✓Successful basic strength training
  • ✓Gradual return to modified skills

Progression:

  1. 1.Week 1-2: No skill work, core stability exercises
  2. 2.Week 3-4: Basic pulls/pushes, no spinal loading
  3. 3.Week 5-6: Compression skills if tolerated
  4. 4.Week 7-8: Gradual return to extension skills
  5. 5.Week 9+: Normal training with awareness

Shoulder

MildModerateSevere

When to Seek Professional Care

  • →Pain lasting more than 2 weeks
  • →Significant weakness
  • →Night pain that disrupts sleep
  • →History of dislocation
  • →Visible deformity
  • →Numbness or tingling in arm

General Principles

  • •Shoulder injuries require careful diagnosis - impingement and rotator cuff issues have different treatments
  • •Maintain shoulder mobility during recovery to prevent frozen shoulder
  • •Strengthening external rotators is almost always beneficial
  • •Avoid 'painful arc' positions but keep moving in pain-free ranges

Contraindicated Movements

Deep dips (below 90 degrees)Behind-the-neck movementsMuscle-up transitionsRing work with painHandstand pushups with impingementGerman hangs/back lever with anterior pain

Recommended Exercises

Band pull-aparts

3 sets × 20 reps

Activates mid-back and rear deltoids for shoulder balance

Face pulls

3 sets × 15 reps

Strengthens external rotators and rear delts

External rotation work (Cuban press, YTWL)

3 sets × 12 reps

Directly strengthens rotator cuff for stability

Scapular pushups

3 sets × 15 reps

Improves scapular control essential for calisthenics

Dead hangs (if pain-free)

3 sets × 30 reps

Decompresses shoulder and builds grip strength

Controlled articular rotations (CARs)

2 sets × 5 reps

Maintains full shoulder range of motion during recovery

Return to Full Training

Criteria:

  • ✓Pain-free ROM in all directions
  • ✓No pain with daily activities
  • ✓Can perform 10 pushups without pain
  • ✓External rotation strength restored
  • ✓Cleared by PT if injury was severe

Progression:

  1. 1.Week 1-2: Rehab exercises only
  2. 2.Week 3-4: Add light horizontal pushing/pulling
  3. 3.Week 5-6: Introduce vertical pulling
  4. 4.Week 7-8: Add pressing movements
  5. 5.Week 9+: Gradual return to full training

Wrist

MildModerateSevere

When to Seek Professional Care

  • →Sharp pain during movement
  • →Persistent pain lasting more than 1 week
  • →Visible swelling
  • →Numbness or tingling in fingers
  • →Inability to bear weight on hands

General Principles

  • •Wrist injuries in calisthenics often result from insufficient preparation or excessive loading in extension
  • •Most wrist issues respond well to reduced loading and targeted strengthening
  • •Never train through sharp wrist pain
  • •Parallettes and neutral grip options reduce wrist extension demand

Contraindicated Movements

Floor handstandsPlanche leans on floorExtended wrist positions under loadHigh-rep pushups on floor

Recommended Exercises

Wrist circles

2 sets × 10 reps

Maintains wrist mobility and promotes blood flow

Rice bucket exercises

1 sets × 5 reps

Builds comprehensive wrist and forearm resilience

Wrist flexor stretches

2 sets × 30 reps

Releases tension in wrist flexors that can cause pain

Wrist extensor stretches

2 sets × 30 reps

Releases tension in wrist extensors

Forearm pronation/supination work

3 sets × 15 reps

Strengthens rotational muscles for wrist stability

Return to Full Training

Criteria:

  • ✓Pain-free ROM in all directions
  • ✓Can hold 30-sec plank without pain
  • ✓Can perform 10 pushups on fists without pain
  • ✓No morning stiffness

Progression:

  1. 1.Week 1: Fist/parallette work only
  2. 2.Week 2: Gradually introduce floor work
  3. 3.Week 3: Add light skill work
  4. 4.Week 4+: Return to normal with ongoing prehab