Parents Good News/Bad News and Camp Insurance

[Trixiebelle]

Trixiebelle had her consult with the Ped Ortho last week and he after a 20 minute physical exam, he looked over her x-rays and concluded her scoliosis is in his words "not an issue" Trixie goes back in 6 months to be re-evaluated for that. That is the good news!

Bad news is during the exam he was able to locate her back pain and was very concerned. It appears not to be a muscle strain, but he believes spondylolysis. The scoli xray didn't show anything, but he did a standing test that apparently is a pretty good indicator of spondylolysis and she was positive for that. Seeing as DD was coming off of 4 weeks of gym restrictions already due to the muscle strain, he prescribed 2 more weeks of limits. She could go to the gym, but not do anything that hurts. He did tell us that if the pain increases at any time we'd need to go and have some more conclusive tests done. She did a lot of bars, some beam and floor but no vault, BWO/FWO etc. Unfotunately she thought no pain meant she could do whatever she wants out of the gym and this past weekend spent the day with girl friends doing tons of BWO BHS. And Monday she was in a lot of pain...

So a call back to the ortho and now a bone scan is on order. That is 3 weeks away and she is under orders to do nothing that causes any pain. So for now she is on a modified program at gym - lots of stretching, some bars, no vault, little beam and little floor. She is doing cardio and ab training. The abs are tricky as some (hollow holds) cause pain so now she is trying a plank and that seems to be fine.

And the camp insurance - much to DD's dismay, we have cancelled her week at IGC. It was supposed to go next week and she has been looking forward to it since she left last summer. While her Dr. thought it would be ok, her head coach was very opposed and honestly, after this past weekend, I can't rely on her to self restrict enough. So no camp for her! Thank goodness that the $45 I spent on insurance will allow us to use the $ for something else.

And now we are in a holding pattern. Her scan isn't for another 3 weeks so she will continue to be limited to conditioning and stretching until the results are read. It is killing her as she was beginning her level 7 routines but I think she finally understands how serious this is. I don't know what her future holds with gymnastics, but she as expressed interest in softball (we have fall ball!) and I'm signing her up! She loves gymnastics and she was determined to go as far as she could. I don't think any of us saw this coming though.

Bog - I've read the journey your DD has been on and her recent surgery and it really has made me think if I want to let her continue in this sport. It is a hard sport to be just a casual participant in as the more skills you learn, the more it takes from you.

But a positive outcome is that we have decided to take the $ from camp refund and head out to visit family for a week! Didn't think I'd go to Las Vegas for a week, but I'm looking at flights now!

Mom to Trixiebelle.

 

[bogwoppit]

Yay to Vegas, you should get some great deals right now.

I totally agree that avoiding the gym and IGC is in her best interest. If it is spondylolysis, it can heal if it is allowed to rest. Little one needs to try to understand that her back is hurt and only leaving it be will help. Any hyperextension should be avoided, even lying on her tummmy watching TV. If she can do that then she should be fine, but it will take time, having the summer off wouldn't be a terrible thing adn she is so young she will not really miss out.

Glad your coach is so proactive, getting that this is very serious, yet very fixable, is so important to her future back health. I wouldn't write gym off, but future back pain, once this is healed, should perhaps be an indicator to change sports (not to diving though!!!)

SO glad that she is being so well taken care of, what a great mom you are.

Let us know how she gets on with her time off and what you decide to do after the two weeks are up.

 

[gym law mom]

The camp insurance was certainly a great idea and hope you have a great time in Vegas!! Spondylosis is basically a stress fracture which as Bog said will heal with time. Tell her no BWO/FWOs---those really stress the lower spine.
Bone scans are pretty definitive for stress fractures so its a good idea to get the test done. I would call the facility once/week to see if they have any cancellations.
I agree with your decision about no camp. As much as dd wants to go, I wouldn't send any child who is getting diagnostics done for a possible stress fracture. I'm sure she's bummed, but in the end she probably wouldn't have had alot of fun standing around most of the week.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

You and Bog are 100% correct in NO GYM at all!!! My DD has also struggled this past season w/back issues. We had the physical, the x-rays, the SPEC scan and finally physical therapy. It was a long couple of months, but she is finally back to 100% no pain w/anything!!

Her problem was caused by the slow hyperextension of those darn BWO's!!! And training them back to back for that L7 beam routine just about killed her back. We were fortunate in that her coach and I caught it early enough that there were no subsequent stress fractures!! YAY!!! So she ended doing the RO cartwheel on beam (which she HATES!!).. The good news is that she's now able to do the BHS BHS on (low) beam w/great form and most of all... NO PAIN!!! Good luck... do what's best (family vacation) and she'll heal up in no time and be back at the gym sooner than you think!

 

[Trixiebelle]

Update on dd's bone scan.

Well the bad news came in today. Trixie had her scan last week and the dr reported back that it is a pars fracture. My mind is spinning from all this and the inf I'm reading on the web. Most of it sounds like this is the end of gymnastics for her. The Ortho has said she can continue her modified gym routine so long as she is pain free which she is and he'll reevaluate in 3 weeks time. At that point if she not healing it will be a brace and no gym. NI'm perplexed that he does not want her in pt nor foes he feel the need to completely pull her from the sport for a while. Both are what I have read are pretty standard for treatment. Is this a case of me reading too much? And how to help trixie cope with all this. She know it's serious and has not done any vault or back flexing activities but it is hurting her morale. She is sad and frustrated. I'm on vacation now and have left a message for her coach. I'm seriously considering pulling her out for the next 6 weeks. As it is she will miss 3 weeks of practice for other reasons so will it completely wreck her chances of staying competitive? And what about pt? Should I push for that or have her continue with the gyms regimen. Right now the focus is conditioning like cardio, hip flexor and hamstring flexibility as well as shoulder flexibility. She is also doing ab work. I know perspective is everything but I feel so sad for her right now. If she told me tomorrow she was done I wouldn't look back, but it hurts that she will most likely end up leaving this sport she loves on terms other than her own. I'm sorry about the layout. I've tried to fix the paragraphs but they don't seem to take. My apologies to all who read this!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

stay off the internet unless you know what it is you're reading. this is NOT the end of her gymnastics career. just do what the Doc says and make certain that your daughter LISTENS and applies what is being told to her.

oh...and make sure no one steps on her back...

 

[bookworm]

Well the bad news came in today. Trixie had her scan last week and the dr reported back that it is a pars fracture. My mind is spinning from all this and the inf I'm reading on the web. Most of it sounds like this is the end of gymnastics for her. The Ortho has said she can continue her modified gym routine so long as she is pain free which she is and he'll reevaluate in 3 weeks time. At that point if she not healing it will be a brace and no gym. NI'm perplexed that he does not want her in pt nor foes he feel the need to completely pull her from the sport for a while. Both are what I have read are pretty standard for treatment. Is this a case of me reading too much? And how to help trixie cope with all this. She know it's serious and has not done any vault or back flexing activities but it is hurting her morale. She is sad and frustrated.

stay off the internet unless you know what it is you're reading. this is NOT the end of her gymnastics career. just do what the Doc says and make certain that your daughter LISTENS and applies what is being told to her. ..

I am in agreement with Dunno here...stay off the internet because it will scare the daylights out of you! My (Level 10) daughter had a pars fracture in 2008/9 and basically missed the whole season because she could not do anything except "stretch and condition" for months (was in a back brace for 24/7 except to shower) but she came back at the end to do states and regionals and made it back to JO Nationals...and she WON!!! So the point of my story here is that it is NOT the end of her gymnastics career if she follows the doctor's instructions!! I can tell you that her coaches were less than thrilled with me for being the bulldog parent that would not let her daughter do more than the doctor said, but it worked , and i make no apologies for it.

Your daughter is young so do as your doctor says (hopefully he's a sports medicine guy) and take it from there...if you need to pull her from gym for a few months to make sure she doesn't do more that she should, then do it...it will be worth it in the long run.

 

[cher062]

My DD's Friend was diagnosed with this back in March but she didn't listen to the DR's and still competed in pain (mostly mom pushing on that one - she is one of "those" stage moms) and she is in a full back brace for the summer and no gymnastics (or really any type of real physical activity until Sept at all. She is devistated and is hoping to come back in the Fall and she actually could if she follows the Dr's orders. The only thing is she won't be moving up a level and is hoping to gain back some lost skills of her current level. Yes she will be a little behind but she knows if she comes back she will have to work to get those back and is ready for it. She was always a very talented gymnast but really was trying too hard to move up the levels too quickly then when the harder optionals came she definitly over did it. DD can certainly come back to the sport and do fine but if she gets some time off she may find something else she likes better. Look at this as a time for her to try new things and make sure she really follows the Dr's instructions. Prayers and good wishes are being sent your way.

 

[gym law mom]

I agree---push away from the computer(ok to post here though!!). Yes, this is a serious injury and should be monitored closely. Really what dd is doing in the gym is what she would do in PT. Once there is more healing, the doc may send her on to PT for some specific exercises for her back.
Keeping the coach updated is vital to let her know the restrictions and to let you know if dd seems to be hurting. Make a list of questions to take with you to the doctor's appointment in a few weeks. Take it in small steps instead of running a marathon. You have a diagnosis, restrictions and an appointment in 3 weeks. Just focus on that for now.
We're here to listen and give support

 

[cathiann]

I don't know anything about this fracture personally, but I'm with Dunno et all about staying OFF the internet when trying to diagnose your daughter--listen to her doctor and follow his advice. It sounds from what others have said that this might not be the end of her gymnastics, if she follows the rules!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

you have gotten great advice. I have nothing to add. just wanted to say I am sorry your DD is going through this but it does sound like she can still do gym once she is healed if she follows doctors orders.

 

[littlegirlsdream]

Sorry your dd is going through this. I can tell you my sister had this same fracture and spondylolisthesis which is common for gymnasts. She listened to dr advise did pt and went on to become an elite gymnasts years later. She is now an adult and runs and cycles works and has two kids so please don't think this has to be the end of gymn if she doesn't want it to be. Thoughts with you and her during this rough spot.

 

[jdf]

If you are confused by the doctors treatment plan, you should get a second opinion. We once went for a second opinion and it was so different from diagnosis #1 that we needed to go to a third doctor as a tie-breaker.

 

[Trixiebelle]

Thank you all for calming down! I wrote the last post while on vacation and have had some time to absorb all the info.

I wrote to her coach while on vacation and shared my concerns. Because the HC is out this week, she had me keep Trixie out and will meet with us next week when she returns. The plan is to have her refrain from all gymnastics until the 19th (follow up with her ped ortho) and then take it from there. Easing back into the sport will begin with cardio, strength and flexibility. In addition, she will need to focus on proper positioning with her back flexion. Her HC will formulate a plan to get her up to speed.

Interestingly, there have been 2 other gymnasts at our gym who have gone through this - one now competes in college and the other is starting her L10 season.

I love that Trixie's HC is taking this seriously and has made an effort to reach out to Trixie and reassure her that this does not mean the end of gymnastics. She is reassuring me as well.

Again, thanks for the info, advice and guidance. I'll post an update on the 19th.

 

[gym law mom]

Sounds like the gym has a plan which is great!! When you see the ortho and he allows some increased activity ask him to be specific---it really helps everyone in the long run. Then you can take his guidelines right to the gym.