WAG Back stress BWO vs. BHS

[IreneKa]

I remember reading hear that BWO puts more stress on the back than BHS.
DD is currently recovering from lower back stress fracture. We went to the doctor's yesterday, her fracture has healed and she can now start slowly going back to doing the back banding skills. But what had me concerned was that the doctor said start with bridges, then move to BWO, then later add BHS and FHS.
From what I've been reading here and online, BWO is the most dangerous skill, and should be the last to be introduced.

Here is one article I found on this topic:
http://www.gymnastike.org/blog/1269...ss-fracture-in-their-back-Spondy#.VAmsMsVdXy0

"The last things that are added back are those that create the most stress to the back: BWO/FWO, limbers, sheep jumps, ring leaps. Sometimes I have them stop these skills altogether. "

The doctor we are seeing is a Sports Medicine doctor at Children's hospital. I would assume she knows what she is talking about?

 

[iwannacoach]

Send the doc a video with those skills?

 

[happychaos]

The doctor we are seeing is a Sports Medicine doctor at Children's hospital. I would assume she knows what she is talking about?

Unfortunately, you can't count on them knowing anything about gymnastics specifically. Does your gym have higher level optionals? If so, chances are good that your HC can recommend a trainer or PT that will have more gymnastic specific knowledge.

I think you want someone to follow her rehab and training pretty closely, especially the first few weeks. With my DD's injury, we found that the PT was the one who really walked us through the rehab, NOT the dr. He was really good at helping my DD know what level of pain was normal and expected, and when she needed to stop.

 

[IreneKa]

Send the doc a video with those skills?

You think she doesn't know the difference?

 

[sce]

I agree with you logic. I also know that your dd needs to slowly get some flexibility and strength back before doing things like backhandsprings. I too would be concerned about doing many back or front walkovers though. I would run it by the doctor

 

[sce]

You think she doesn't know the difference?

The doctor may not have enough specific knowledge to know which skills cause the most stress to the spine.

 

[IreneKa]

Unfortunately, you can't count on them knowing anything about gymnastics specifically. Does your gym have higher level optionals? If so, chances are good that your HC can recommend a trainer or PT that will have more gymnastic specific knowledge.

I think you want someone to follow her rehab and training pretty closely, especially the first few weeks. With my DD's injury, we found that the PT was the one who really walked us through the rehab, NOT the dr. He was really good at helping my DD know what level of pain was normal and expected, and when she needed to stop.

Thank you. She actually did say that PT should guide us during the recovery. It just when we went to PT later that day, they didn't seem like they knew what they were doing either. They were looking at me, asking what did the doctor say.
Maybe we need to find a better PT.

 

[gymdog]

Can't imagine what the reasoning is. I recommend just starting with more core conditioning and stability exercises (you might need a professional for this), and shoulder stretches. The flatter the lower back, the better.

 

[mariposa]

Ask around at gym or coaches, they may have suggestions for PTs that have worked with gymnasts before.

 

[JMACAZ]

When YDD broke her arm on the bars the gym had a specific PT that they used. She was great and as a former gymnast knew what she as doing. I would ask at the gym.

 

[MeetDirector]

Thank you. She actually did say that PT should guide us during the recovery. It just when we went to PT later that day, they didn't seem like they knew what they were doing either. They were looking at me, asking what did the doctor say.
Maybe we need to find a better PT.

Find a physical therapist that specializes in sports rehab. Don't let them push you anywhere else. Run-of-the-mill PTs won't get her back to where she needs to be. Back rehab is not something to guess at; run, don't walk to get a referral to the right PT.

 

[Gymsanity]

'I would assume she knows what she is talking about?'
I wouldn't, and you know what assume can do. My belief is that there is no better PT than a qualified coach working directly with the Dr. If I ever have a girl with an injury, I always go to the Dr.'s with her to discuss her situation short and long term, what is going to be the best and safest way to make a full recovery, warning signs, exercises, reintroduction of skills, etc. I like to have a one on one personal relationship with their Dr. so that we are on the same page. My experience has been PT's can be more of a middle person, and that doesn't always work the best, especially when working with gymnasts. Good luck, and I hope she makes a full recovery soon.

 

[Rockygym]

Although you would think a Sports Med docotor would know their PT referral base.....maybe check back with doctor for an alternative PT.

 

[GymCMLA]

I agree with finding a PT that has gym knowledge. I am a pediatrician and internist, former gymnast and mom of a gymnast. I agree with you, backbends/BOW should be last.
While on restriction, what was she doing? Any gym work? Just conditioning (arms/legs/abs)? Stress fractures are typically from overuse or a jump in training time/level. THe osteoclasts (chew up bone) and osteoblasts (lay down new bone) - this is normal - they work in harmony...but when the osteoblasts can't keep up b/c of high elvels of use/training/skills, that is when you get stress fractures. So I would recommend starting with the BHS/FHS motions in a very slow manner and then add back a new skill at a time doing only a few the first days, with slightly more at a time. THe secret is SLOW. You don't want to run out of the gate again and have the poor osteoblasts getting behind again.

 

[MAcastsalot]

Doesn't the sports medicine clinic at Boston Children's Waltham have pt, or only at Longwood? I think they also do PT in Lexington. Maybe that's where you are going already, or maybe that's too far of a haul for regular PT for you, but I've known several people with dancers and other athletes have success there.

 

[IreneKa]

Doesn't the sports medicine clinic at Boston Children's Waltham have pt, or only at Longwood? I think they also do PT in Lexington. Maybe that's where you are going already, or maybe that's too far of a haul for regular PT for you, but I've known several people with dancers and other athletes have success there.

We were looking for something close by. Children's gave us a list of places to choose from, and we chose the one closest to us.

 

[gymdog]

My belief is that there is no better PT than a qualified coach working directly with the Dr.

There are definitely PTs that are more qualified than me. That thought would never even remotely enter my mind.

But I live in a major metropolitan area. Perhaps the options are different elsewhere.

IreneKa, I recommend you get a second opinion before proceeding.

 

[ginnymac]

'I would assume she knows what she is talking about?'
My belief is that there is no better PT than a qualified coach working directly with the Dr. .

I am really sorry that you feel like this. There are MANY PTs who are familiar with gymnastics as well as many other sports. Therapists who work closely with athletes and some that coach as well. Therapists who go to practices with the athletes so that they can learn the demands of a sport that they may not be familiar with.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

The place I went to for PT would come into our gym and watch us practice. Then once a week, they would give us injury prevention clinics and exercises to do to strengthen the major muscle groups to reduce risk of injury. They were really great.

But before I found that wonderful PT place, I went to one that was closer to my house and the PT there was awful. I was asking him about taping my feet to give me arches and he had no idea how to use tape at all. I would go to PT for an hour and he would make me do exercises that were from ask.com and then tell me to ice. So I would definitely recommend asking around for more opinions for a better PT.

Gymnastics coaches know a lot about gymnastics but unless they have degrees in kinesiology and things of that sort, they won't know much about PT. Even if they do have a degree in kinesiology, I would doubt that they would know more than a PT who has their doctorate. My friend is in PT school right now and it is really intense.

 

[Gymsanity]

I am really sorry that you feel like this. There are MANY PTs who are familiar with gymnastics as well as many other sports. Therapists who work closely with athletes and some that coach as well. Therapists who go to practices with the athletes so that they can learn the demands of a sport that they may not be familiar with.

Nothing to be sorry about. As I stated, it's just 'my' belief, and others including yourself have theirs. Most PT's I've worked with don't fully understand the rigors, techniques, and forces involved in many gymnastics skills. That is why I prefer, when possible, to work directly with the treating physician. Not meant to be a 'knock' on PT's, just my observations over the years.