Parents 2 girls go down w stress fractures in their back .. Should I be concerned ?

[Gymmom82773]

At my daughters gym , 2 12 yr old girls that train the same level as my 11 yr old daughter (level 9/10) have been diagnosed with fractures in their backs this month . One might be a full fracture and one has numbness down her leg !! Is this just a coincidence or is there a lack of strength training within the gym ? Could it be that these 12 year olds are growing?? I'm a little concerned !

 

[my4buffaloes]

I think it is worth looking into. At our gym a year or so ago we had several broken bones - 2 of them compound fractures within a few weeks time. At first glance you think what is going on, are they not being safe, etc. You question things - which you should in a situation like this. But once we learned more details, they were all on different events, boys and girls, really fluke accidents on skills the girls had been doing forever (I am not sure of the boys). So really there was no underlying issue. That could be the case for you as well. But it is worth talking to those parents, even asking the coaches about it as something they are doing could effect your dd too.

 

[Gymmom82773]

I know the 2 moms very well and these seem to be some kind of overuse injuries ? No one event / skill seemed to cause these injuries . It has affected my daughter because now she is training with all the older girls (15 and up ), she likes them very much but she has lost 2 close teammates for an extended period of time .

 

[GymBeeMom]

It is an unfortunate fact that this is part of the risk in high level gymnastics. Good form, strength conditioning, and rest are all important for avoiding injury...BUT all gymnasts can be susceptible to overuse injuries. NO advise, really. Just saying that it is always a concern for gymnasts. Google spondylosis and you will see gymnasts are at risk for this overuse injury.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yikes! not a coincidence.

 

[MaryA]

My 12-year-old is likely going through the same thing (X-rays on Friday). Hers sounds fairly mild compared to the two girls at your gym... only has pain when she does something that requires her to overextend her back (like most tumbling, but no pain running or doing bars or even, apparently, vault), no other pain or numbness, etc. but she does have pain in 3 vertebrae in her lower back. I know our gym has more strength-training than most... a kenesiologist from a local university comes in 2x a week to do "core" training with them, in addition to normal strength training. Clearly 12 is a time of rapid growth and body change, as well as the fact that they are doing skills that are more taxing on their bodies (my DD is a level 8). It may just be a "perfect storm" of stuff going on at once.
Can you tell me what the prognosis is for the two girls as far as continuing in gymnastics?

 

[Natasha]

3 out of 7 girls on my dd's optional team last year had back issues- 2 of them were not able to complete the season due to severe pain (one fractured). Another girl broke her leg (shattered her growth plate) doing a routine tumbling pass. So, out of the 7 girls, only 4 were able to compete at state. We have since changed gyms. I highly suspect lack of appropriate conditioning.

 

[Gymmom82773]

Sure, I will keep you posted about their prognosis . One is scheduled for a bone scan I think today . The orthopedic could see her fracture on an X-ray and she's put minimum 12 weeks and in a brace . The other girl .. No definitive fracture was seen on an MRI so they are sending her for a bone scan and they have been told she will be out awhile

Scary stuff !!