WAG Problems with bent knees

[TumbleTimes4]

DD is not able to completely straighten her legs. They always have a slight but noticeable bend at the knee. Curious to know if anyone else’s child has this problem and if physical therapy has helped. Could it be due to tight muscles around the knee or is it maybe just the way she is made?

 

[H.J.]

DD is not able to completely straighten her legs. They always have a slight but noticeable bend at the knee. Curious to know if anyone else’s child has this problem and if physical therapy has helped. Could it be due to tight muscles around the knee or is it maybe just the way she is made?

DD is not able to completely straighten her legs. They always have a slight but noticeable bend at the knee. Curious to know if anyone else’s child has this problem and if physical therapy has helped. Could it be due to tight muscles around the knee or is it maybe just the way she is made?

Interested in this too. I’ve wondered if it actually has more to do with tight hip flexors.

 

[Calimomof2]

DD is not able to completely straighten her legs. They always have a slight but noticeable bend at the knee. Curious to know if anyone else’s child has this problem and if physical therapy has helped. Could it be due to tight muscles around the knee or is it maybe just the way she is made?

How old is she and how long has she been training? Did you ask the coach?

 

[TumbleTimes4]

How old is she and how long has she been training? Did you ask the coach?

She is almost 9 and has been in Gymnastics since age 4. She was diagnosed with femoral anteversion when she was a toddler so her toes naturally turn in. I’ve asked her coach but she didn’t know the answer.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Yes, there are exercises that can help correct both issues (femoral anteversion as well as hypoextended knees). If her coach doesn’t know of any, ask a physical therapist.

 

[sce]

Yes, there are exercises that can help correct both issues (femoral anteversion as well as hypoextended knees). If her coach doesn’t know of any, ask a physical therapist.

I agree, look into physical therapy. This can eventually lead to issues bigger than not fully straight legs.

 

[Akl597]

Yes, there are exercises that can help correct both issues (femoral anteversion as well as hypoextended knees). If her coach doesn’t know of any, ask a physical therapist.

What are hypoextended knees? The coaches keep saying that straight legs are a big issue for her and I wonder if that is actually what is going on. Although they say that she can straighten her legs so maybe not. She didn't seem to have an issue previously but she has grown a lot in the last few years.

 

[TumbleTimes4]

Thank you for the physical therapy suggestions. I took her to her first appointment today and after working with the therapist (who also used to be a men’s level 9 gymnast) for an hour, we can already tell a vast improvement. The back of her knees actually touch the floor when she sits in a pike for the first time in her life!

He also thinks he can help correct her inward turn with her feet by strengthening weak hip muscles. So we will see how the next four weeks go. She is excited and I am hopeful and excited for her. She works so hard in this sport and it’s been so hard to see her get deductions for the body features that she had no control of up until this point.

 

[LJL07]

Yes! Please keep us posted. My daughter has terrible problems with bent knees. She can't even feel that they are bent half the time. She has to work VERY hard to have tight knees. Is this really a hip flexor issue? That's interesting.

 

[TumbleTimes4]

Yes! Please keep us posted. My daughter has terrible problems with bent knees. She can't even feel that they are bent half the time. She has to work VERY hard to have tight knees. Is this really a hip flexor issue? That's interesting.

The PT did some manual structure adjustments on her knees and the improvement was immediate. I’m not sure if it was entirely because of her hips, but he did say that the muscles above her knees were tight and not engaging properly to compensate for her hips.

 

[raenndrops]

The PT did some manual structure adjustments on her knees and the improvement was immediate. I’m not sure if it was entirely because of her hips, but he did say that the muscles above her knees were tight and not engaging properly to compensate for her hips.

At one point, YG's legs grew, but her tendons and ligaments didnt keep up. She could NOT straighten her knees - one of the other coaches and I sat there, watching her in her splits... the tendons were visibly tight and the knee was nowhere close to straight. We had to go through PT and massage, but once the tendon growth caught up, she could straighten her knees again

 

[rmankini]

The PT did some manual structure adjustments on her knees and the improvement was immediate. I’m not sure if it was entirely because of her hips, but he did say that the muscles above her knees were tight and not engaging properly to compensate for her hips.

Do you recall what he did exactly? Thank you,,

 

[TumbleTimes4]

Do you recall what he did exactly? Thank you,,

He did some kind of manual manipulation on the muscles above and around her knee caps. He said they were very tight. That’s about the best I can describe. I’m sure there is probably medical term for it but I wouldn’t have any idea what it is.