Silly silly rules....

[LucyTRA]

I'm injured and I have a regional comp on Sunday.

I twisted my knee and the physio thinks that I have partially torn my MCL ligament. I'm not entirely convinced because I partially tore a ligament in my other knee last year and it was considerably more painful than this. Anyway, it is still sore, and she advised me to take a few days off, which I did, and wear a knee brace to prevent that movement happening again. I've been wearing the brace for almost a week now and have trained a couple of times relatively painlessly (while wearing the brace). I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome type 2 (EDS2) which makes me susceptible to this kind of injury.

So, after brightly coloured KT tape became a bit of a fashion statement at the olympics they made a rule that says any support or strapping must be skin coloured, (or white to match socks if around the ankles, or matching the leo if over/under the leo) as this is my knee, it would have to be skin coloured.

Its big, and black. With big hinges on the sides. I doesn't come in any other colours. My HC has sent an email asking for permission (this sounds very familiar, right?) but I've not heard back yet. I'm worried that they won't allow me to wear it. EDS2 is recognised as a 'disability' most of the time in the UK (though in my case it doesnt disable me from much), so I feel like they should allow it. I really want to compete, and I feel fine to do so, but I dont want to have to take on the officials again (which although successful, was not good for my stress levels and I gave a horrible performance after it!)

Has anyone had to deal with this before?

 

[B&M's mom]

My daughter wears a knee strap. For elite competitions, it has to be flesh colored. It's not and they don't make a flesh colored one in the brand she likes. So we've resorted to covering it in flesh colored tape. Not the most elegant solution but it meets the rules. If worst comes to worse, you may want to consider that route. Good luck!

 

[aerialriver]

Could you wrap the whole thing with ace wraps? It wouldn't get it all sticky with tape. Hopefully they just let you wear it.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

P&F uses flesh coloured K Tape when her knee plays up, or can you just take a deduction ? I think its 0.2 max and thats only if they apply it. Its obviously a medical device, not a fashion statement !

 

[Jenny]

Wear leggings over it so they can't see. You know you can lol.

 

[magmom]

Maybe find some opaque, flesh-colored tights and cut out a section to slip over the brace?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

do they make Gaffer Tape in beige ?

 

[Galadriel]

My dd had a white one we covered in fake tan once!!! Lol

 

[Jenny]

Soak a white tubigrip in tea to colour it and wear over the top is my sensible reply

 

[Iwannabemargo]

@Jenny , are you implying that some of us might not be sensibubble ?

 

[Jenny]

Oh Margo I know you are the epitome of sensibubbly. It was to add to my earlier ahem not quite serious post!

 

[Galadriel]

Well tea sounds eminently sensible retrospectively but at the time we only thought of the fake tan! !

 

[LucyTRA]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Leggings are bit of a no go - our team Leo is navy velvet and leggings although allowed have to match and I don't have any that would match. It's also waaaay too big to fit under leggings! Looks a lot like this one http://www.physioroom.com/product/P...6/39350.html?gclid=COCO1fGknb0CFazHtAod1kIAog

I will try covering it for training tomorrow, I just don't want anything I cover it with to get stuck in the hinges. Let's hope they just say it's fine!

 

[Jenny]

In that case I would just take the small deduction

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

I too know the pain of EDS. Pun entirely intended. My absolute and heartfelt advice is to take the deduction.

I don't know for sure but I am supposing I am considerably older than you, OP. My EDS has only been diagnosed in the past few years, and was called many things during my youth; overuse, growing pains, cartilage issues, stubbornness.

I can tell you that I spend more time strapped up now than I ever did in my gymnastics days. When I think of all the injuries and the gung-ho way I used to approach them, I could kick myself. But I won't because it would hurt.

 

[LucyTRA]

If it was a deduction, I would just take it. From what I've heard though, it isn't a deduction, it's just a hard and fast rule. Like, kick you off the competition floor rule. Like how you cant compete in black socks. You can't take the deduction, you're just not allowed to do it, at all.

@stillgotmyleotard I'm 20, but I dont find that my EDS stops me doing much. I get injured but training keeps my body strong and I have less pain now than before when I wasn't training at all. And I don't really get bendy pain for no reason anymore. I still get pain, but there is a payoff, like i know that I'm in pain because I did 4 hours of training, and most of the time it seems worth it, and its easier to cope with when it's like that! /endrant

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

All of that makes sense to me; my daughter also has EDS and used to dislocate a lot in her early years. She hasn't done it since she started training. I read back what I wrote and I didn't mean it to sound like I was implying that you have a gun-ho attitude, so I'm sorry if it read like that. My own EDS was only diagnosed because of my daughter's, but I was a fairly gung-ho kid and I don't suppose I'd have been any different, had we known. It doesn't stop me doing much either; I've just learned to factor in a bit of extra time in the morning in case anything has dislocated overnight. Ah, fun.

I hope you find a way of getting around your need for the brace and have a great comp.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

If it was a deduction, I would just take it. From what I've heard though, it isn't a deduction, it's just a hard and fast rule. Like, kick you off the competition floor rule. Like how you cant compete in black socks. You can't take the deduction, you're just not allowed to do it, at all.

@stillgotmyleotard I'm 20, but I dont find that my EDS stops me doing much. I get injured but training keeps my body strong and I have less pain now than before when I wasn't training at all. And I don't really get bendy pain for no reason anymore. I still get pain, but there is a payoff, like i know that I'm in pain because I did 4 hours of training, and most of the time it seems worth it, and its easier to cope with when it's like that! /endrant

no way they will kick you off the floor. it's a medically necessary brace. not a fashion statement like someone else said. i think you'll hear that it will be fine.