Gymnasts always perform on padded mats. Using the impulse-momentum theorem, these mats protect the athletes by increasing the time of impact thus reducing the force of the impact. The padded floor increases the time. The time changes because the padded floor lengthens the time of the collision. The force is lessened by this time change. When the gymnast lands on a padded mat, the impulse felt by the gymnast is longer than it would be without. So, the measure of force received is less because of the greater amount of time.
