WAG Ankle pain in a L5er

[munchkin3]

DD is small and her ankles are very flexible. She can touch her toes to the floor when she points her feet.
She has been complaining of on again, off again ankle tenderness on the outside of her ankle, under the pointy bone. I guess it hurts more when she does a lot of floor and running......sometimes it does not hurt at all.

Any clarity?

 

[Deleted member 17723]

How old is your daughter? And how long has it been going on?

 

[munchkin3]

She is 10..... On again off again for a month or so.... Every time I decide to go to the doctor, she says it's fine...( I am not telling her about the dr. just in case)

 

[Deleted member 17723]

That's how us gymnasts think-we are so intent that we are ok. Maybe bring her out to lunch or something.... and then swing by the doctor It could be a stress fracture-but if it is on and off I doubt it. It also could just be growing pains or soreness. Try and keep her away from doing things that hurt until you figure it out. Good luck!

 

[paige]

I am NO doctor, but my daughter was having something similar, only when she was doing her floor tumbling.
Never hurts outside the gym.
Her coach, who is a PT, suggested a Tulli's Cheetah Cup. Problem solved..

Good luck!

 

[Dr Maleficent]

Definitely see a sports doc- one of our gymnasts had a similar thing and it turned out to be a minor sprain needing rest. It could be that or any number of things but any recurring pain in a gymnast should in my viewbe checked out owing to the amount of strain being put on their bodies- better to check now than later when it has become a continuous pain. Best of luck

 

[profmom]

DD had a "mild ankle strain" that kept her off tumbling all last summer. She was really bummed, but I think in retrospect, letting her rest it was the right thing to do. Especially if your DD's ankles are very mobile (my DD is probably hypermobile), she might need taping for practice going forward. DD is now in an X brace and a heel cup (one of the ones with the ankle support), and that seems to keep things under control. Severs was a co-factor for her, but the ankle wasn't just Severs.

 

[sewgood]

My older daughter (also 10) is having the same issue. She sees a doctor about it on Monday. I hope it is nothing serious.

 

[Gymmomto2]

Funny you brought this up! Just took my DD age 11 almost 12 Mon for the same prob. X-ray was done & no fractures or torn ligaments. Growth plates all in tact. He said it just over used. His daughter is also a gymnast so I trust him. Said to rest (no pounding) for a week. No PE 2wks. 2 Aleve 2x/day & we got an ASO ankle brace that laces & Velcros for support. She does over pronate & arches are low but not flat. Hope this helps.

 

[GymCMLA]

While there is a lot "going on" in the lateral ankle there (distal fibula= lateral malleolus = the pointy thing on the outside of the ankle)
It articulates with the talus and calcaneus. It isn't the most common place for a calcaneal stress fracture. But the lateral malleolus has a distal growth plate.
Probably the most common this if the pain is "under" or "behind and under" the lat malleolus os peroneus (longus or brevis, they run together) tendonitis. Those muscles work hard when pointing and turning out. My DD is 11 and had a little of this this year midseason. We did some stretch/strengthen and avoided extra punching in conditioning.
I am a doc and their saturday floor coach is a PT, so we were covered and it got better quite quickly (a couple weeks).
A tendonitis explains the on again off again symptoms, likely related to what they were doing that day/week/practice.

 

[munchkin3]

While there is a lot "going on" in the lateral ankle there (distal fibula= lateral malleolus = the pointy thing on the outside of the ankle)
It articulates with the talus and calcaneus. It isn't the most common place for a calcaneal stress fracture. But the lateral malleolus has a distal growth plate.
Probably the most common this if the pain is "under" or "behind and under" the lat malleolus os peroneus (longus or brevis, they run together) tendonitis. Those muscles work hard when pointing and turning out. My DD is 11 and had a little of this this year midseason. We did some stretch/strengthen and avoided extra punching in conditioning.
I am a doc and their saturday floor coach is a PT, so we were covered and it got better quite quickly (a couple weeks).
A tendonitis explains the on again off again symptoms, likely related to what they were doing that day/week/practice.

Thanks! Pain is gone now. They have been using the tumble track and rod floor more often, and limiting the regular floor. Maybe this is what has helped. Or maybe not, but she is not complaining of pain anymore.

 

[GYM0M]

Just another thought: My DD complains of ankle pain from time to time on the outside of the ankle. Doesn't bother her when she wears high heels (which at the time, were her fav). Turns out, her Achilles gets tight from so much toe point. To alleviate, she stands with toes on a ledge and puts her heels down on and off for a few days. Notice it more when she's growing, but stretching solves the problem.