Women First real injury

[kayjaybe]

Dd has made it all the way to L8 with no injuries...until last night. Bad landing on the vault and she fractured 2 fingers and dislocated 1. Heading to an orthopedist this morning.

She has worked so hard to get to this level, struggling with so many fears, and now she is going to miss her first meets. Poor kid is so upset.

Good thoughts and positive stories of quick recoveries are welcome!

 

[dmbgymnast]

I'm so sorry! When I tore my MCL, the orthopedist said I would be out of gymnastics until Christmas, (it was early october) but I competed in an early December meet! I hope a quick recovery is on your path!

 

[gymmutti]

So sorry and completely understand. I hope her fingers heal quickly. My DD was able to still do a lot of uptraining with a hand in a cast so I am hoping your DD finds a bright side as well.

 

[wallinbl]

My DD was able to still do a lot of uptraining with a hand in a cast so I am hoping your DD finds a bright side as well.

I still cringe thinking of the skills DD has learned while in a cast.

 

[cbifoja]

I'm so sorry to hear about your DD's fingers. Hope it doesn't set her back too much.

 

[Vivianflips]

I hope your daughter has a quick recovery! Being injured is no fun!

 

[mkwh]

Im so sorry. My DD has battled alot with fears also and was doing fabulous with it and confident when she broke her wrist on Aug 19th doing a BWO BHS series on beam (training an up skill, she is lvl6). I was so worried that she would be too scared to do anything again. But the very day after she was so tenacious and insisted on continuing to go to every practice. 6 weeks in a cast, then 2 weeks of very simple range of motion and strengthening exercises. She has been back training fully for 3 weeks now. To be honest I dont know exactly what she is doing b/c Ive learned not to ask her and she generally only volunteers positive things . But overall Im impressed with how quickly things have come back. Her vault is back to where it was ( she says), shes doing full beam routine ( with BWO, not back to BHS yet), full bar routine and most tumbling. I think she is still struggling to get some tumbling back (but that was her fear area also) but overall recovery has been better and faster than I expected. First meet of the season in 2.5 weeks! Im not sure what to expect but she is certainly further along than I had first feared.
Good luck for a full and speedy recovery for your DD!!

 

[Deleted member 17723]

Oh no! Finger injuries are awful... hope she heals fast! Keep us updated

 

[gymjunkie]

It's part of the sport and she's ahead of the game for making it to 8 w/o any other injuries. In the long run, it's good for them mentally to have to go through these set backs now and again.

 

[kayjaybe]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind thoughts & stories.

She'll be in a cast for 2-3 weeks, then a splint for another 3-4 weeks. At that point, she should be able to be out of the splint and start working her way back.

She's mostly upset about 2 things:

1. There is a big meet in NY in early December that she was really looking forward to competing in. That is now out.
2. She is afraid she will lose the skills she fought so hard to get.

There is nothing we can do about #1 and I'm assuring her she will get everything back, but it is still tough.

I couldn't talk her out of going to the gym tonight so she is going and just stretching and doing some leg lifts and situps and stuff for about an hour. I think it will be good for her to be back among her teammates.

 

[vagymmomma]

Based on what I have seen with DD's team, I am amazed how much optional girls can train even with injured fingers, hands and wrists. I hope she makes the most of the down time and uptrains where she can and sticks with the conditioning. I am sure she'll be back in the mix in no time!

 

[mkwh]

Im sorry she has to miss the big meet in NY, that is a bummer. You are right about skills, I was so worried she would have to really struggle to relearn skills but that muscle memory is really good. Mine was the same way about insisting to continue to go to all practices. she missed the very first day after the injury (it was really hurting after a day of school) but did not miss a single one after. there is a lot of conditioning they can do!! Good luck for a quick recovery and just keep her positive about everything. keep us posted.

 

[Ausi_poppet]

That's tough, and I know just what your gym star is going through. My poppet fractured her ankle 3 weeks before we were due to fly out to our first overseas competition. She had to make that trip as the leader of the cheer squad - not her preferred role!

The sports doctor told me bone takes 8 weeks to fully heal, so no matter how small the fracture is, it's best to see their recovery in light of that being a minimum. Continuing to go to training, even if it's just to stretch and do what flex and strength they can, along with any skills that don't impact on their injury help to not only keep that come-back time to a minimum, but also connected with their friends. But it can be really frustrating for them to watch from the sidelines as their friends get new skills or overtake them.

It sounds like you're all doing everything you can to get her back in the game as quickly and safely as possible. It's now 5 weeks since my 13 year old has been back to full training and there are still some skills not quite back to where they were as a result of some new fears. I just keep telling her that I know she's going to get it and to take her time, because we all know it will come together when she's ready.

 

[Deleted member 17723]

1. That's awful! However I'm sure your doctor said this, but kids are very resilience and bounce back much easier than adults. Send her to practice. There's loads she can do. Just be careful. I think it was here I read a story about a girl breaking her wrist or something and then falling on beam while doings leaps and breaking her foot. Something like that. So make sure she knows her limits, doctors orders, and the coaches are in the same boat. LISTEN TO THE DOCTORS OVER THE COACHES. Many coaches try and become a doctor... make sure you daughter knows to go with her gut.

2. For her fear of losing skills... she shouldn't worry about it. Muscle memory is great and if she keeps going to the gym she will get very very very strong!! Even if she loses a skill it usually comes back quickly, if she had it before. If it makes you feel better, when I broke/displaced/tore ligaments/chipped bones in my fingers/knuckle... I was out for about 2 months. I came back and found not much had changed. She should be okay.
Tell her to hang in their, I'm sending some healing fairies!!

 

[gymjunkie]

She should be able to do a lot more than just stretch and condition with her injury. She could even learn some new skills.

 

[kayjaybe]

She should be able to do a lot more than just stretch and condition with her injury. She could even learn some new skills.

For at least 2 weeks, we aren't taking any chances. The doc is concerned with one of the fingers coming out of alignment if she has any impact with it. Once they see it healing properly in 2 weeks, she'll be able to expand what she does a bit.

Until then, lots of stretches & splits and core conditioning. She could definitely use the flexibility work on her splits!

 

[duyetanh]

Thinking good thoughts for her over here!

 

[profmom]

How's it going? Has she made her peace with the time off?

 

[kayjaybe]

Thanks so much for asking!

Her "peace with it" comes and goes. She's been going to practice and doing conditioning and splits. She started working some new dance moves on beam, so that is keeping her occupied. But she is still pretty upset about the NY meet.

She had an xray on Tuesday (1 week from being put in the cast) and it looks to be healing well. She's scheduled to go back this coming Tuesday and then looking at getting the cast off right before Thanksgiving.

 

[profmom]

Yeah, that's tough. But getting the cast off will feel like real and tangible progress, so I hope that stays on schedule.