Parents Gymnast cracking back. Is this ok or not?

[juststartingout]

My 7yo came to me yesterday asking me to crack her back. I told her no because I figured there was no way that that could be healthy or good for her in any way. Then she tells me that it's ok, that her coach does it for her when she needs it. I'm still not doing it for her, it's just gross and scary, but is it ok that she is having it done?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

RED FLAG, RED FLAG, RED FLAG. YIKES TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE!

TELL THAT COACH TO KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF YOUR DAUGHTER'S BACK!!

UNLESS THAT COACH IS A DC OR DO.

 

[gymjunkie]

I agree with dunno, if they are actually trying to crack her back. When I stretch out a child's shoulders or tug at their shoulders in a bridge, there is often incidental cracking. There is a difference between that and laying a child down and pushing on their back, which is a big no no.

 

[BlairBob]

Get a foam roller or piece of PVC. Basically loosening up the tightness in the thoracic spine.

I prefer to just send a kid to go do straddle swings on rings, pvc, then lying wipers or alternating scorpion stretches.

It is not fun to swing apparatus and have something pop.

 

[GymBee97]

I don't want the coach doing this but my DD does go to a chiropractor now once a month to get aligned and there is a lot of snap crackle and popping going on. It does help her a lot.

 

[2G1B]

I have been wondering about this. My 9 yo DD hurt her back in gymnastics a year ago (fell forward off of the bars, her back hyper extended, feet came up by her ears in the fall). We saw an orthopedist for it and mostly she had to rest her back. Things got back to mostly normal after about a month; but ever since then she really likes to pop her back and says that it hurts until she does (she twists to each side and then kind of stretches/arches). I have considered taking her to a chiropractor; but my husband is really against it for kids. I asked the pediatrician about it and she isn't thrilled with it for a kid either. So now I have been wondering if maybe taking her for a massage once or twice per month might help what ever is tightening up in her back?

Anyone have advice for a situation like hers? (sorry to hijack)

 

[GymBee97]

Our Pediatrician and orthopedic was against it too but after 9 mos of back pain not being resolved by the "normal" Dr route I decided to give it a chance. went to him and when he examined her he could tell every spot on her body that she had had an injury in the past year and a half. he is a whole body chiropractor so its not just the back he does. after examination it was discovered her spine was out of alignment and twisted one click to the left which caused her back muscles to be constantly pulling. he re aligned every thing her back along with the other areas that she had injured over the past year an a half. by the end of the week (required no gym for the week after treatment) she was 100% pain free. they followed up with another controversial treatment called ARP therapy for 2 weeks. All that was done last fall and she has been pain free ever since and no signs of any issues on x-rays etc. since. So for us it worked.

 

[aerialriver]

I think if it pops on its own or from the child doing it it's fine. Mine never popped either until I hurt it and now it feels weird and tight if I don't. I just lay on my back and turn bringing one leg over keeping shoulders on the ground.

I guess if you have doubt's ask her doc. Coaches should not be popping things.

 

[gymnastmom38]

Interesting that you asked this. There is one of the team coaches at our gym that apparently cracks the gymmies backs (thankfully not my dd's). I had been thinking about taking my dd to a chiro to get looked at but did not think it was safe for an untrained coach to be cracking girls' backs...

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

At our old gym the girls used to do it to each other, as in they walked down each others backs. My dd wasn't in the competitive group then but I remember cringing while watching that.

 

[shelovestoflip]

I have been wondering about this. My 9 yo DD hurt her back in gymnastics a year ago (fell forward off of the bars, her back hyper extended, feet came up by her ears in the fall). We saw an orthopedist for it and mostly she had to rest her back. Things got back to mostly normal after about a month; but ever since then she really likes to pop her back and says that it hurts until she does (she twists to each side and then kind of stretches/arches). I have considered taking her to a chiropractor; but my husband is really against it for kids. I asked the pediatrician about it and she isn't thrilled with it for a kid either. So now I have been wondering if maybe taking her for a massage once or twice per month might help what ever is tightening up in her back?

Anyone have advice for a situation like hers? (sorry to hijack)[/quote

I w

I have been wondering about this. My 9 yo DD hurt her back in gymnastics a year ago (fell forward off of the bars, her back hyper extended, feet came up by her ears in the fall). We saw an orthopedist for it and mostly she had to rest her back. Things got back to mostly normal after about a month; but ever since then she really likes to pop her back and says that it hurts until she does (she twists to each side and then kind of stretches/arches). I have considered taking her to a chiropractor; but my husband is really against it for kids. I asked the pediatrician about it and she isn't thrilled with it for a kid either. So now I have been wondering if maybe taking her for a massage once or twice per month might help what ever is tightening up in her back?

Anyone have advice for a situation like hers? (sorry to hijack)

Having had the experience of my daughter saying twisting and turning/arching helped her back feel 'better' and then discovering she had a fracture, I personally would not mess around with backs and I would take her to an orthopedist.

Just my two cents but backs are nothing to mess around with.

 

[2G1B]

Shelovestoflip - had she previously had it x-rayed and they didn't find the problem until later?

When DD first hurt her back they did a bunch of x-rays. (I took her to a pediatric sports medicine orthopedist.) At that time they said it was not an issue with a fracture and that the x-rays looked great. Since she was released from the orthopedist I have had the pediatrician keep an eye on it. There hasn't been any major pain since she stopped seeing the ortho, just that sometimes she says her back feels stiff, then does her popping routine and says it feels better. So far the pediatrician hasn't been concerned; but maybe I should take her back to the ortho for a 1 year check?

 

[LIGYMMOM]

Keep in mind that that doctors will rarely suggest seeing a chiro, and chiro's generally want you to try the natural approach before trying anything conventional. I have back pain and do get relief from chiropractic, my kids have gone as well. I frequently crack my own back and it loosens it up some. I don't see a huge danger in it, but would want my dd's coach to leave it to the professionals! Just please tell me your dd's coach is not cracking their necks!

 

[LMV]

TELL THAT COACH TO KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF YOUR DAUGHTER'S BACK!!

UNLESS THAT COACH IS A DC OR DO.

With much diplomacy let me say that I would trust only the latter [and then only in certain circumstances].

 

[juststartingout]

Thanks. The coach doing it isn't a head coach but a younger one who just recently finished competing herself. I'm wondering if she is just used to doing it for fellow gymnasts. My daughter will sometimes say her back feels tight (and she normally is super flexible), she tries to crack it or stretch it out herself first and no matter what she does it doesn't relieve it. That's when the coach steps in and helps her crack it. So the coach isn't doing it on her own it's at my daughters request. I'm just going to make it clear to my daughter that she's not to have it done.

 

[Azgymmiemom]

My dd had a hip injury that a regular ortho could not fix. I took her to a sports therapist, and he did tens, massage therapy and chiro on her. She is pain free and doing very, very well. This guy was very well trained and had many, many degrees, so I think it's safe to say he knew what he was doing. I think random popping will do more harm than good. Leave it to the professionals...

 

[Amusibus]

I agree leave it to the professionals. There is no harm having a child see a chiropractor for a short while if necessary. She does have a spine, no?

 

[shelovestoflip]

Shelovestoflip - had she previously had it x-rayed and they didn't find the problem until later?

When DD first hurt her back they did a bunch of x-rays. (I took her to a pediatric sports medicine orthopedist.) At that time they said it was not an issue with a fracture and that the x-rays looked great. Since she was released from the orthopedist I have had the pediatrician keep an eye on it. There hasn't been any major pain since she stopped seeing the ortho, just that sometimes she says her back feels stiff, then does her popping routine and says it feels better. So far the pediatrician hasn't been concerned; but maybe I should take her back to the ortho for a 1 year check?

Never had an X-ray. Pediatrician sent us right to Pediatric ortho and he immediately ordered an MRI which confirmed what he knew anyway! He also said xrays do not always show fractures, especially in early stages. We caught hers very early and she fully healed. She had been having back pain on and off for about 6 weeks. Never anything dramatic and not majorly complaining. More little things here and there. I think backs might be funny like that?!

Backs now make me very nervous so if it were me, I would ask the sports ortho about an MRI and why they ordered xray not MRI to begin with??

 

[GymBee97]

Never had an X-ray. Pediatrician sent us right to Pediatric ortho and he immediately ordered an MRI which confirmed what he knew anyway! He also said xrays do not always show fractures, especially in early stages. We caught hers very early and she fully healed. She had been having back pain on and off for about 6 weeks. Never anything dramatic and not majorly complaining. More little things here and there. I think backs might be funny like that?!

Backs now make me very nervous so if it were me, I would ask the sports ortho about an MRI and why they ordered xray not MRI to begin with??

We got an xray first because that is what the insurance will pay for. Had to do that first before they could order an MRI or any other tests. We actually didn't get the MRI because our ortho had a different test done some type of bone scan that is supposed to be better than the MRI.
Even with the specialists, advanced tests, months of PT it wasn't healing DD was still in Pain. That was why I figured I'd give the Chiropractor a try and for us it worked because the problem was the spine was twisted one click to the left and was constantly pulling the muscles. So when she did tumbling she was constantly straining them. Once he snapped the spine back where it belonged (big loud pop too) and a week of rest she was back to normal and has not had any pain like that since.