WAG back pain

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gymk8nyc

Gymnast
I've been having lower back pain for 2-3 weeks. It started as on and off but now its constant. It does go away completely with ice, stretching, or rolling but it always comes back within an hour. X-rays were clear and have and MRI next week. I decided to take the week off of gymnastics because I'm scared to irritate it if it's a stress fracture. REALLY hoping its just muscular. It hurts when bending forwards, arching, tensing the muscles, and pushing on the spine. Would a stress fracture mean the end of my gymnastics career? I love doing super bendy stuff and stretching my back. Will I ever be able to do back-bendy stuff pain free again if it is a stress fracture?
 
I might have a stress fracture in my back and I think it's because of the way I do front aerials. The pain started about three weeks ago (when I first started front aerials). Here is a link to a video of my front aerials.
 
I hope that what I have to say will not veer into medical advice. Hard to know where the line is.

The MRI will be the definitive answer on the stress fracture. I think you're smart to avoid skills until you know.

Whether or not you will be able to continue can only come from you, your parents and your ortho, but if you do have a fracture and eventually continue, I think that doing super bendy stuff would be extremely unwise. As to your question about doing gymnastics pain free - I have seen that go both ways and a lot of it seems to be related to the extent of damage and pain before diagnosis. DD has zero pain, but she'll also probably never do a walkover again. She'll definitely never do a front aerial. Thank heavens for a code with so many options!

Between DD's coaches, me, and the ortho, it's basically been decided that even though she's past the "rest" period from the problem skills, and hasn't had pain since the day of diagnosis we're just not going to go there. Like maybe years down the line she'll attempt them again. As Bogwoppit said, backs are for life, and as her coach said, "Why risk it?"

I hope for your sake that it is just muscular. Please update us.

And just for general info, since I know Chalkbucket comes up in so many searches, DD's ortho said anyone who has back pain continuously or on and off for two weeks time needs to make an appointment! Don't play with your spine. DD's recovery was/is so easy (knock on wood) in large part because we went in SO early. And in another part because her coaches take injuries seriously. Critically important.
 
I moved a similar version of this same post from you tonight. We really are not qualified to give medical advice over the Internet.
 
Get to a doctor and in the meantime don't do ANYTHING that hurts, even if it's just a dull ache. Back pain is nothing to mess around with. I have had 2 kids with back injuries this year- one was a stress fracture that she is currently coming back from slowly the other has some sort of spine curvature or defect unrelated to gymnastics but gymnastics has really exacerbated it. Neither is anything to mess around with and both have involved pretty extensive treatment plans from their doctors.
 
I hurt my back when I was 14. My doctors blew it off because of my age and general health. I had herniated a disc and should have had an MRI and serious treatment. I suffered for years off and on without proper treatment. I am now almost 47, have had one back surgery as an adult, will have multiple more as I age, have no feeling in one leg, and have days I can barely walk. Don't screw around with your back.
 
I hope that what I have to say will not veer into medical advice. Hard to know where the line is.

The MRI will be the definitive answer on the stress fracture. I think you're smart to avoid skills until you know.

Whether or not you will be able to continue can only come from you, your parents and your ortho, but if you do have a fracture and eventually continue, I think that doing super bendy stuff would be extremely unwise. As to your question about doing gymnastics pain free - I have seen that go both ways and a lot of it seems to be related to the extent of damage and pain before diagnosis. DD has zero pain, but she'll also probably never do a walkover again. She'll definitely never do a front aerial. Thank heavens for a code with so many options!

Between DD's coaches, me, and the ortho, it's basically been decided that even though she's past the "rest" period from the problem skills, and hasn't had pain since the day of diagnosis we're just not going to go there. Like maybe years down the line she'll attempt them again. As Bogwoppit said, backs are for life, and as her coach said, "Why risk it?"

I hope for your sake that it is just muscular. Please update us.

And just for general info, since I know Chalkbucket comes up in so many searches, DD's ortho said anyone who has back pain continuously or on and off for two weeks time needs to make an appointment! Don't play with your spine. DD's recovery was/is so easy (knock on wood) in large part because we went in SO early. And in another part because her coaches take injuries seriously. Critically important.
No stress fracture or any disk damage. Just muscle pain! Phew!
 

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