Broken Big Toe

[coxmaryellen70]

Just got back from urgent care. My 9 year old level 6 daughter fell off the beam yesterday and it looked like she just got a blood blister. Unfortunately, it still hurt today and the xray showed a broken big toe. The doctor didn't seem concerned and told us to see the ortho tomorrow. How long should she expect to be out of gymnastics? She has a meet Sunday, one in April, and states May 15th. She is heartbroken about potentially missing this Sunday's meet never mind if she has to miss the others. Has this happened to anyone else and what was the healing time? She seems to think she can "suck it up" and compete Sunday, and I don't think that's going to happen or is safe.
Thanks

 

[bogwoppit]

Ouch, no real answer but here is a link to a good article, it might help. Toe and Metatarsal Fractures (Broken toes)

My oldest dripped the spring board on her big toe and that took a good two weeks until she could run on it. Then the toe nail fell off, ick!

YOu can google for all kinds of info on broken toes, I was surpised how many articles were out there.

 

[gymjoy]

Depends on the break. My dd broke 2 toes at once. One nearly all the way through. It took her 6 weeks to get back to everything.
I hope hers is only a small break.

 

[cathiann]

I'm guessing this Sunday is out! If she pushes it and competes on it, she may injure it even further (and might even miss States in May)--while if she rests it she might be ready to compete in April.

 

[gymgirl_60]

It depends how bad the break is. One of my friends broke her big toe, and was probably not fully back for about 5 or 6 weeks. 3 weeks in a small boot, then coming back slowly, adding a little each practice to what she coud do. Hope it heals soon!

 

[KillerKyah]

It really depends on the break. Since you said it just looked like a blood blister, it's probably not too bad. When I broke my pinky toe completely in half(spiral fracture by springboard), the entire side of my foot was bright red and bruised almost instantly. I was out from mid November to the week before Christmas break. Different fractures and people heal differently, but your orthopedist should be able to give you an idea of when. Mine just said to go back if I feel like I can and stop if I'm hurting.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

take it day to day. the only important meet is the final one so there is time. the big toe and the one next to it [morton] should be taped together during work out for at least 4 weeks and maybe 6.

if the fracture is at the nail bed? approx 10 days.

if the fracture is at the foot? approx 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[coxmaryellen70]

Thanks for the feedback! The ortho. said it's a simple break (no growth plate involvement). It is where the big toe meets the foot joint. He put her in a boot cast up to the knee. They'll re xray in 3 weeks but she should be fine by then. I hope so because she is a pretty active crazy kid and it's going to be really hard to keep her down. We walked into the living room last night and she was doing front and back walker overs in the cast. She was very impressed with herself and we just groaned. It's going to be a very long 3 weeks. I guess to a nine year old it's the end of the world, and I know it could be a lot worse. Her coach said to bring her into the gym in a week to do arm and flexibility work. Thanks again for the encouragement!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

there is no reason why she should be out of practice. she can wear the boot and still do conditioning. she can do bars and bar conditioning and place a velcro weight on the other foot to balance out the weight of the boot. in fact, her bars will improve because of the extra time spent there. injuries can sometimes be blessings/beneficial in disguise.

 

[CoachTodd]

there is no reason why she should be out of practice. she can wear the boot and still do conditioning. she can do bars and bar conditioning and place a velcro weight on the other foot to balance out the weight of the boot. in fact, her bars will improve because of the extra time spent there. injuries can sometimes be blessings/beneficial in disguise.

Had a little one with a foot injury years ago and she came in to practice and worked mainly bars and conditioned. When she came back to full workouts, she had the best bars in the state.

 

[bogwoppit]

You know not every gym is able to accomodate agymnast who is injured. Our gym is so small that the gymnasts must stay with their group and therefore on certain apparatus the only things they can do is condition, which gets boring really fast.

I am sure in a gym that has many stes of equipment accomodating an injury gymmie is easy, but it isn't always possible.

 

[Granny Smith]

Ok, so I can sympathize with the big toe fracture. My dd broke her 5th metatarsal back on Jan. 19. Unfortunately her's is a Jones' Fracture, which is the worst possible 5th metatarsal fracture as the recovery time can be very lengthly. She was in a plaster cast up to her knee for 4 weeks, then went to a air cast boot for 4 weeks and is now in some heavy duty brace for 4 weeks, can walk on it, but no hard impact stuff. She will be starting PT next week for 4 weeks too and is only 75% healed. Her season is completely over as States are this weekend (bummer!)

This entire time she has still been in the gym. Up until this week she could only do bars (limited, no less - no dismounting and has to have a coach near by to spot in case she didn't make it over on her giants, which she could easily do, but if she feel on that foot - that would not be good). She could also condition and do strap bar. With the plaster cast, she would just put a weight on the other foot. With the boot, which she said was much heavier than the plaster cast, she would wear the weight and also a tennis/running sneaker to help balance out the weight and the height difference that the boot had (probably about 1 - 1.5 inch difference.)

Now she can do no impact stuff. She can do cartwheels, but no round offs. she can do a BWO, but no BHS - you get the picture. She used to come and do the warm-up/conditioning, which was the 1st 45minutes to hour. Then she would do a rotation of bars and a rotation of conditioning/work the strap bar.

Just this week she has started to stay 3 rotations. She still rotates with her group, but when they are on floor, she does what she can and then also does toe ups to build up her calf, which has atrophied from being in plaster cast (she was on crutches the entire time she was in the plaster cast.) She works on full turns, double turns. She fills in the time.

She can now walk on beam (which is something she hasn't done for 2 months). Do turns on beam, nothing major though.

Usually when her group goes to vault, which there is nothing she can do for vault, she goes to strap bar, which is near the vault and the coach can see her and give her some tips.

One thing I can say though, that by being injured she is left more to herself, especially with States then Regionals and potential Nationals coming up. she sort of has to do things herself. Ex/ She took the lead to go to strap bar, none of the coaches told her to go there. It's one of the few things that she can actually do without hergetting hurt and she can actually work on some skills that are upgrades for her there. She also has to be the one to speak up and tell the coaches if she shouldn't be doing something. Granted, she is 13 and a little older than your dd, but the coaches will push.

Since last night was her first night back with the brace, I stayed to watch the warm up. After practice I told her there were a couple of things that I don't think she should be doing. Anything that puts full body weight on her one foot I think is a no-no right now because she isn't a 100% healed. Also what made me nervous about the few things she did that I didn't like was the position her foot was in when she was putting that weight on the foot.

I guess my novel here, if you choose to stick with it just reinforces what others have said that she can still be in the gym and actually getting a decent workout. Something that would probably be a good idea if her goal is to get back for States. She wants to be in the best possible shape so the return won't be that hard!

Good luck to your dd, I totally understand how she feels - at least she has a shot at States, my dd knew she was out back in Feb. Oh well, there's always next year!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

geesh...sorry to hear about that. a jones fracture is pretty serious. hopefully all goes well for her and makes a full recovery.

 

[coxmaryellen70]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I am so sorry about the 13 year old with the Jones fracture. What a strong innovative kid! I wish her a speedy recovery.
My daughter is going to go back to the gym tomorrow and work on flexibility, strength training, and bars. She is so excited and can't wait to go! It's amazing how much of her life revolves around the gym. Her friends from the gym have all called and have been so supportive. I am so happy for her that she has gymnastics. It really has done amazing things for her The doctor feels she should be healed by April 5th. She has a meet 4/21 and states are 5/16 so it should be fine. Thanks again for the words of wisdom and info.