Broken Wrist Recovery

[kbuhler]

Dear All:

My 11 year old is a level 6 gymnast. She took 2nd last year at state last spring in her age group in level 5. Since then, she has had her appendix removed in July and then just recently broke her arm about a month ago. Its been a long haul but she loves the sport. She was in a splint before but now is in a cast. They thought they would keep her in that for 2.5 more weeks. This last week she went to 14-15 hours of gymnastics where she doesn't do anything on her wrist but conditions, runs, does dance etc. I've read many of your posts and most of them support continuing to go to gym while healing but not using that wrist. Somedays she says her wrists is sore and that she feels a popping feeling in her wrist. She pops it back into place. Her pain is rarely enough that she feels she needs pain meds or even a tylenol. Because she has Osgood Shlatter, she does take 2 alleve before gym. Her practices are about 3-4 hours, 4 days a week. Anyhow I have two questions to those who may have had a child with a broken wrist:

1) What is the recovery time like?
2) Did your child continue to go to gym to condition? Is 15 hours too much?
3) Is continuing to go to gym to much? Will it do more harm than good?
4) OUr first meet is March 27. She gets her cast off maybe January 21. Is this enough time to recover?
5) She has had 2 sprains before and now this broken bone. I wonder if I should give her a calcium pill. Do any of you give bone or calcium pills.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thank yo so much. I'm so excited to find a place to ask questions.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

My DD fractured the growth plate in her wrist in Nov '08. She spent 4.5 weeks in a hard cast followed by 4 weeks in a brace. She was not allowed to do anythingbwith her wrist. She had been going 9 hours a week prior. I dropped her down to 6 while she was healing. She could only condition, leaps, turns etc. Some days she would stand on the floor beam working turns & crying because she was bored & frustrated. That is the main reason I cut her back.

The only time she had pain was when some swelling had gone down and her wrist was able to move inside the cast. They removed it, put on a new one and it was better.

If she is having popping & some pain, I would schedule a follow up with the doctor.

After the 8.5 weeks DD was given the all clear with no restrictions.
We did get her a stress ball which she squeezed once in the brace an after to help with muscles. Her doctor said the gymnastics would brung her back to 100% faster than any PT he would recommend. All he said was if she had pain to stop doing whatever was causing it for a while and also not too much repitition forthe first cupplw weeks. Mainly he meant not spending the entire practice on one event working similar skills. Thus was not a problem as they rotate to two or three events per practice.

Hope this was helpful. She was given the all clear in mid-January and had her first meet was the first weekend in February. She did fine.

 

[gym law mom]

I would be concerned with the complaint of popping when her wrist is in a hard cast and then she says she can "pop" it back into place. If the cast is fitting correctly, she should have almost no movement in her wrist---be able to wiggle her fingers, but thats about it. It might be worth calling her doctor and having her get it checked out.

Once the cast is off, make sure she doesn't rush and overdo it. She may need a little PT to help get some strength back in her arm, range of motion and good grip strength back in her hand/wrist. Most times they only need to see the patient a few times and give her some exercises to do at home.

Certainly any girl should be consuming foods high in calcium and supplements if they're a picky eater or don't go for the dairy products much. Obviously milk, cheese and yogurt are great natural sources of calcium.

I'm a little concerned about taking 2 Alleve(which is naprosyn) before every practice at her age. Has she tried just 1 to control the discomfort?

GL to her. She's certainly had a tough year.

 

[kbuhler]

Thank you for responding

I was so excited to get your responses. I have scheduled an appointment for 9 am on Monday morning. Thank you again!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Let us know how it goes !!!

 

[cathiann]

I was so excited to get your responses. I have scheduled an appointment for 9 am on Monday morning. Thank you again!

Hope you get some good answers from the doctor.

Never had a broken wrist (and fingers crossed we don't), but I know the girls on team all continue to attend practices with casts or braces on--even the ones that had a fractured back! They just go fewer hours--and do conditioning or what they can. My own daughter had a broken foot--now in a boot--and she's doing bars with it on--she actually tried a back handspring on floor, but discovered that hurt her foot (uh, no kidding!).

I would definitely talk to the ortho doc and find out what she can and cannot do.

Oh--as far as meets do--it sounds like plenty of time for her to be ready for the meet. Beth (my daughter) gets out of her boot on January 25th and will (almost certainly) be competing February 13th. Even if she can't do all events (bars would probably be toughest with a broken arm/wrist), at least she can do something.

 

[kbuhler]

Thank you for all your responses. Cathi, I have been trying to post to you but as a new member its says I have no rights? Hmmm.....I have really learned a lot from reading all of your posts. I have a question. When your girls have gone back to gym and conditioned does the body part hurt? For instance, her wrist hurts even if she doesn't work it. Its not terrible but it does hurt. I'm assuming your daughter's foot would hurt right? Do you give your girls vitamins?

 

[gym law mom]

Thank you for all your responses. Cathi, I have been trying to post to you but as a new member its says I have no rights? Hmmm.....I have really learned a lot from reading all of your posts. I have a question. When your girls have gone back to gym and conditioned does the body part hurt? For instance, her wrist hurts even if she doesn't work it. Its not terrible but it does hurt. I'm assuming your daughter's foot would hurt right? Do you give your girls vitamins?

I'm not Cathi, but to PM her I believe you need to join a group---parent would be logical one. As an RN, your dd should not be having much discomfort in a cast unless the cast is too loose, she's doing things she shouldn't(like trying to put weight on that arm) or there is something else going on with the wrist. Glad you got her back in to see the doctor.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

I think you must have 5 posts before you are allowed to PM anyone. Could be wrong, Bogwoppit would know - she knows EVERYTHING !!!

The only time my DD had pain once she got her cast put on was when the swelling went down and she could move her wrist within the cast.

 

[kristilyn73]

Hi! Welcome to the Chalk Bucket. My DD is 14 and a Level 8. A few years ago she sprained her wrists.. and recently she had a broken ankle then a bad sprain on the other ankle.

She felt time in the gym is important for conditioning and a sense of belonging. right now she trains 5 days a week for a total of 22 hours. When she was coming back from her ankle break, she was there 4 days for about 2 1/2 hours a day. Did conditioning, the excerises her doctor prescribed and dance throughs (once she could..)

Once she was back "full go" she wasn't in pain, so much, but once and a while she was achy or stiff... it was very important that she took the time off.. she followed doctors orders exactly.

Good luck at the doctor this week.. sounds like she has been through a lot this year!

 

[cathiann]

I'm not Cathi, but to PM her I believe you need to join a group---parent would be logical one. As an RN, your dd should not be having much discomfort in a cast unless the cast is too loose, she's doing things she shouldn't(like trying to put weight on that arm) or there is something else going on with the wrist. Glad you got her back in to see the doctor.

Yeah, it shouldn't be hurting too much--I know Beth's foot DOES hurt when she does too much--the doctor told her to use that as a guide (and stop doing things if it's hurting). But I would think a foot is different than a wrist (since you're putting weight on the foot--whereas you really aren't doing anything with the wrist). How much pain are you talking about? I always tell my patients (yes, I'm an RN too)--when in doubt, call your doctor and ask (that's what you pay them for )

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

What did the doctor say ?

 

[momofchalksters]

I am curious to hear how the doctor's appointment went too! I just now saw your post and thought I'd reply. My step-daughter has broken her collar bone twice within 8 months (second time was just over a year ago) Neither time was at practice thankfully! I know a collar bone is a big difference than a wrist or an ankle. It immobilized her quite a bit for the first week or two both times. During that time she went to practice but sat upstairs with us or hung out ont he floor with the girls and the coaches. She did this instead of just staying home because my daughter is also on team and she still had to go to practice so step DD just went along. Our gym wouldn't let her back on the floor,etc until they had a doctor's note. Our gym is very laid back, small and a lot of fun but they are very serious when it comes to injuries and recoveries. I can't remember how long she was totally out both times but I think about a month. She eased back in with those events (bars especially) that worked her collar bones a lot waiting until the the last to return to, carefully of course. I hope your DD heals quickly!

Oh, and step DD gave use a scare tonight saying that her collar bone was hurting like before and it was popping. She didn't want anyone to touch it and was a little freaked out so we ran her into the doctor. Luckily, it isn't broken again, probably just some old scar tissue and muscle mixing it up LOL Thank goodness!