Back pain:(

[Gymbee06]

Hi everyone so today my dd 9 told me that very time she does a bridge her back hurts(argh) it doesn't hurt any other skill walkovers or flics I'm not looking for medical advise just ppl that have experienced this particularly in the uk as our healthcare is different from the USA and your experience in getting referred and to who? Was it easy or did you have to repeat trips to gp before you got referred?
Did you go to your gp or a&e?
Should I push for referral?
Were any investigations done? I.e x-rays or something else?
I know in the USA it's much easier to go to a specialist that is experienced with gymnasts, is that the case over here? Or will I just get told by my gp to rest for a couple of weeks?
Coaches should I stop her doing gym?
Sorry I so many questions I really don't want to take any chances but I don't want to overreact either, I will have to wait at least a week for a gp appointment.

Thanks in advance and friends across the pond please feel free to comment

 

[Gymbee06]

Just to add apparently she has had it for at least 8 months!

 

[munchkin3]

How long has she been doing gymnastics? And what level? Sometimes their lower backs can hurt during bridges if their core muscles aren't strong enough. More core exercises would help. But I would most definitely get her back X-rayed, just to rule out any stress reaction....

 

[Gymbee06]

5 years don't know about level as such she's recently started back flics on beam training giants on bars she has also only returned this week after a 3 week holiday where she only walked lots and lots no gym but that doesn't explain why she's had it for over 8 months

 

[munchkin3]

I'd get her checked out. I think it's more common where they start out because of core strength but is this has been going on for a while and she has been doing this for several years, it could be a stress reaction in the vertebra. An X-ray or MRI can give you 99% certainty on what it is.
I would tell coaches, and tell DD to stop if it hurts.

Are there pediatric sports orthos close by? That would be the best, otherwise, research a team of pediatric orthos who have experience with gymnasts. For us it's a pain to....first ortho, then referral to specialist, then get a script for MRI (if insurance will cover it).....

 

[Gymbee06]

Can't even get a gp appointment until 1/7 got a sports phsyio appointment tomorrow but it's private so have to pay

 

[Faith]

I was going to say with gymnastics your best approach is to pay for a sports physio and they will tell you if you need x-rays/mri etc and how to get a referral.

 

[Jenny]

Agreed with above. Go to a sports Physio and they will suggest what to do next and if you need to get your GP to refer her anywhere. However no back bends or walkovers or anything that requires excessive arching until you have more information.

 

[xrachx]

Backing up sports physio too! Ours has been completely invaluable to my DD over the last 2 years (GP was shocking, no idea how to treat a sporty child).

If it's any reassurance, it may not be her back completely at fault, but instead be a weakness elsewhere causing her to use her back in the wrong way. DD used to have occasional back pain with bridges etc but turned out to be a tightness/weakness in her shoulders, so she compensated by over flexing her lower back. Physio fixed that and now no more back pain.

Fingers crossed for your DD!

 

[Gymbee06]

Update
Went to sports physio he wouldn't examined and sent straight to gp and wants her xrayed preferably an MRI as he "highly suspects" a fracture I feel so bad that's it's been going on so long and she never mentioned it and it only hurts on a bridge nothing else has also said no gym at all until diagnosis I feel dumb for asking but should I stop pe at school and other sports? I forgot to ask him this!

 

[munchkin3]

Stop ALL activity other than walking and regular things.....no impact at all and no running and no stretching at all....wait until the results come back.

This is a very serious possible injury, but you must err in the side of caution. I don't want to scare you, but a friends DD just had surgery due to an old injury which led to vertebral slippage. All because of not taking it seriously. Also, these kids forget how to gauge pain. After a year in pain, it's hard to tell what is normal and what is not.
I will pray it's just a stress reaction or so.....healing fairies going your way!!!!!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

Stop everything. Get the diagnosis and then let them work out where to go from there. A fracture treated early enough will heal well and she will be fine again. Though looking in to why is a good thing, tight shoulders are often the culprit.

My oldest had a stress fracture that was undiagnosed for years as every one, doctors & sports physio etc, kept saying it was just muscle pain. She ended up with surgery and still has back pain five years on.

 

[Jenny]

She is really young still too. So plenty of time to heal and still enjoy her sport.

 

[Jenny]

She is really young still too. So plenty of time to heal and still enjoy her sport.