Parents DD has lower back pain only while doing back walkovers on the beam

[gymmom8772]

My DD is training new level 5 now and while she is doing back walkovers on the beam she gets lower back pain. It doesn't bother her any other time and never bothered her before while doing them on the floor. I took her Urgent Care and the doctor didn't think it was anything other than muscle strain and gave a prescription for an anti inflammatory and told her to avoid back walkovers/back bends for a week. Her back felt totally fine and went to doing back walkovers again on the beam and it bothered her again during practice but she is totally fine after practice is over. Any thoughts?

 

[bogwoppit]

Take her to a doctor with sports medicine experience. It could be nothing, but it could be something serious. It could be stress fractures beginning, and only an oblique xray can show that.

If BWO on the beam hurts, tell the coach that she cannot do them for now.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

that ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Seeker]

Agree with Bog & Dunno. She should not be doing them at all (on floor or beam) if she's having pain.

An 8yo/L4 at DD's gym had back pain and nothing was about it for a long time (until the coach told her parents she could not return without clearance from a doctor). She was able to do a lot, but she had persistent pain. She is now in a back brace with a significant stress fracture in 2 vertebrae that requires her to wear a hard brace for at least 3 months.

Don't mess around with back issues...take her for an x-ray.

 

[Lisbeth]

My 8yo DD was having lower back pain on one side only while at gym. Did not have pain while sitting, walking or at school. Her X-ray ordered by pediatrician was negative. Told ice, rest and ibuprofen. She continued to have pain at gym only and it started to affect her ability on all events. Took her to a sports med. Dr. who ordered an MRI although he thought it might just be muscular in nature. Turns out she had bilateral L5 stress fractures. Complete rest (not even conditioning) for 12 weeks and then 8 weeks of PT with modified practice schedule. She is just now starting to get her tone and strength back. Please have your dd evaluated and don't be afraid to push for an MRI - better to catch any issues sooner rather than later.

 

[gymmom8772]

I am definitely going to have her checked out by a specialist ASAP and have them order an MRI. I'm pretty scared that this may be a stress fracture. It seems that it's not too uncommon for this to happen from doing BWO's on the beam from what I've been reading. If it is a stress fracture, how can she prevent this from happening again when she starts doing BWO's on the beam after she heals? Could it be her technique in doing her BWOs that is putting too much pressure on her back or something else? Whenever she did BWO's on the floor it never bothered her before but only started hurting since training them on the beam.

 

[Jasmynn]

Definitely sounds like a stress fracture. My daughter had the same injury. Common in level 6 gymnasts. Because of all of the repetitive back walkovers.

 

[gymmom8772]

I wish USAG would not make that a requirement if this is so common. How long was she out of the gym? Did she need to repeat her level because of it?

 

[Lisbeth]

My DD did not have to repeat new 5. She was able to obtain a 31.000 AA at one meet and her coach moved her up to a group training L6/7 this summer. We have always been told that she would be a much better optional gymnast rather than compulsory, so we saw no reason to hold her back. It will be nice to have routines tailored to her strengths and be able to eliminate BWOs. She was not told to never do them again, but we limit them as much as possible (5 per practice).

 

[iwannacoach]

Fewer back walkovers....... good

More back walkovers......... bad

Meanwhile.........

Take her to a doctor with sports medicine experience. It could be nothing, but it could be something serious. It could be stress fractures beginning, and only an oblique xray can show that.

If BWO on the beam hurts, tell the coach that she cannot do them for now.

 

[gymmom8772]

Yeah they've been doing them a lot with training new level 5. They started training them about 2 months ago and her back started bothering her while doing them a month ago. I'm just hoping at that very least if it is it's being caught early enough that it's not too far gone and can heal pretty quickly. My daughter has worked so hard and has made such tremendous progress lately, it would be devastating for her.

 

[Seeker]

Yeah they've been doing them a lot with training new level 5. They started training them about 2 months ago and her back started bothering her while doing them a month ago. I'm just hoping at that very least if it is it's being caught early enough that it's not too far gone and can heal pretty quickly. My daughter has worked so hard and has made such tremendous progress lately, it would be devastating for her.

Doing the BHS on beam in L5 is an option, so that may be a better skill for her. There is not as much stress on the lower back in that skill.

As far as what would help long term, less (as close to zero as possible) BWO's and also do a good amount of PT that focuses on building her strength back up, but also works on her flexibility -- especially her shoulders. That should be a focus, regardless of what the diagnosis turns out to be. Often, the BWO technique is hampered by a lack of flexibility and that puts stress on the lower back. If it were me, I'd keep her out of the gym until you have an answer. Good luck to her....it's good you're dealing with this now.

 

[gymmom8772]

I'm going to be on the phone first thing tomorrow morning trying to get in her a specialist ASAP. I specifically talked to her coach about concerns w/ possible lack of shoulder flexibility and she told me her flexibility in her shoulders is much better than a lot of the other girls on her team. She is also in the best shape now that she's ever been in. I keep thinking it's the way she's doing them that could be causing the stress on her lower back or possibly that she tenses up more doing them because she's more nervous doing them on the beam?

 

[Azgymmiemom]

Back pain is a big deal. I am so glad you are having it checked out. Do NOT mess around when it comes to backs. She will need pt and core strength, that will help. When she learns to use her strength for skills and not so much her flexibility, that will be a great thing. Fix the back first. The rest can happen later.good luck to her.

 

[Seeker]

I keep thinking it's the way she's doing them that could be causing the stress on her lower back or possibly that she tenses up more doing them because she's more nervous doing them on the beam?

It definitely could be that...anything that throws her off-center or into an unnatural motion could be the culprit. Is she doing these on the floor or low beam, or is she working on them on the high beam?

 

[gymmom8772]

She is doing them on low beam and high beam. She is a very cautious kid which makes me think she may be tensing up when she does them on the beam and never had back pain while doing them on floor before. BWO's were always something came quite easily for her.

 

[Seeker]

yes...that makes sense to me as well.

 

[gymmom8772]

Hoping it is just that and it's causing a muscle strain and not a stress fracture but we'll see. She's only 8 and I wasn't expecting an injury like that so soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[GymmieC]

My 8yo DD was having lower back pain on one side only while at gym. Did not have pain while sitting, walking or at school. Her X-ray ordered by pediatrician was negative. Told ice, rest and ibuprofen. She continued to have pain at gym only and it started to affect her ability on all events. Took her to a sports med. Dr. who ordered an MRI although he thought it might just be muscular in nature. Turns out she had bilateral L5 stress fractures. Complete rest (not even conditioning) for 12 weeks and then 8 weeks of PT with modified practice schedule. She is just now starting to get her tone and strength back. Please have your dd evaluated and don't be afraid to push for an MRI - better to catch any issues sooner rather than later.

Thank goodness you pushed the issue. I hope your DD is feeling better. I also can't help but comment on your "name". I haven't seen a Lisbeth other than my sister. I am very partial to that name. Beautiful!

 

[sc-gymmom43]

My DD complained of the same thing once she started BWO on beam. When she was Xcel Gold, she refused to do it for 2 years, which was probably best. She couldn't land a cartwheel consistently, sui she took the deduction for no acro pass thru vertical, anddid a handstand-jump connection. Still scored mid 9
Now L6, she does BWO on beam with small pain only every now and then, mainly after having to hold a tic-toc during warm up.

We always felt her initial pain was due to landing on her tail bone on the play ground. We had had it xrayed, which was negative.

She has more of a powerful, muscular build instead of a thin, graceful build, so anything that requires extra flexibility is harder for her.