TargetTalk

I have a question about a comment from a previous post, but thought it warrented its own topic.

Julian Y wrote:Current coaching theory warns _heavily_ _against_ Juniors using anything larger that a 22 and goes further to recommend that even 22 is limited. The reason for this is that recoil creates significant strain with repetitive impact on the growth points of all the bones in the arm and hands. This in turn can, and has in the past, lead to permenant damage.

Recently, I attended an exhibition on human physiology, and it was mentioned that the ends of our bones are more sponge like when we are growing, and this is where new bone is created. I wasn’t sure whether the comparison to a sponge was because that part of the bone is softer, or because there are many hollow cavities like a sponge.

Anyway, the theory mentioned by Julian Y goes against much of the practice here in the USA. IPSC has its junior program, for instance, where youngsters are firing 9mm and .38 Super. I have a few questions, for either Julian or anyone else who wants to chime in.

1. Are there any published studies or literature discussing the possible injuries mentioned above? I don’t mean this as a hostile challenge, I’m geniunely curious.

2. Many IPSC competitors probably started fairly young. If these people are still competing is it because -
a. Not everyone has these problems (just like not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer)
b. In IPSC you use two hands, so that might soften recoil.
c. They have had damage, but never knew it because IPSC does not require the precision that ISSF does.

3. What is the theory regarding trap and skeet? Are these different because they are fired from the shoulder?

Thanks.

James:

Not sure how old Doug Koening, Brian Enos, (or top bullseye shooters for that matter) etc were when they started. Do we have (even anecdotal) track records of shooters who started pre-adolescence (when growth plates are still soft and active), trained heavily when young, and had good shoting performance into/through adulthood?

The perhaps analogous view from martial arts with training from youth through adulthood does indicate at least a "mythology" that those who srt younger burn out earlier due to arthritis and other joint problems.

The contrarian view, of course, is that the training at an early age "toughens" the tissue and actually may result in extended performance life cycle in the discipline. The "training effect" as it were.

I am not personally familiar with any longitudinal studies or even empirical studies of shooting or the martial arts specifically. Go through an ABI/ProQuest/EBSCOHost scientific literature search and let us know what you find (your library can help)!

Steve Swartz

(I do know from personal experience though that starting later in life is certainly no "safer alternative!")

It is interesting to note that the ISSF 30+30 pistol event for junior men is shot with .22LR.

The junior age limit is 21 at the end of the year during which the competition is held. They can however enter the senior men 30+30 CF event at a younger age.

You are totaly correct that the growing point of the bone are sponge like, so whilst one may presume that they will rebound from injury, prolonged and sustained damage can lead to perminant damage an they harden,

In all honesty I believe this has to do with how much training the youngster under goes. Ok ocaisional shooting of center fire probably wont do to much harm, but extensive training has been shown to do so. The documented cases are moderately rare and often extreme cases, but teenagers in particular are prone to extremism, often focusing on a single point rather that the big picture.

This document may help ;


http://www.pistol.org.au/Coaching/Devel ... ooters.php


regards


Julian

James Way wrote: ...
a. Not everyone has these problems (just like not everyone who smokes gets lung cancer)
...
Thanks.

If a smoker doesn't get lung cancer, there is another disease he might have from this vice. Halitosis is one of them. This might also be a cause of extreme anorexia.



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