Parents Gymnast wrist recovery

[nemo544]

New here, but would like to hear anyone else's experience with recovering from gymnast's wrist (distal radial epiphysitis). My daughter (L8 last season, trying for L9 this summer until this came up) was diagnosed with bilateral gymnast's wrist. The right is mild while the left is severe, with slight radial ulnar variance already occurring. She was told to take 12 weeks off any wrist weight bearing at which time they will repeat x-rays. Doctor said if it has improved, she can slowly return to activity. If not, she will need more time off. When she is released to go back, if it occurs again, he said she may have to stop gymnastics completely. I asked about treatment options to continue gym at that point and he said we would wait and see how things were looking then. My question is, has anyone dealt with a diagnosis of "severe" gymnast's wrist and recovered enough to resume full activity? What was the treatment, time away from gym, etc. Thank you in advance.

 

[flyinghigh]

New here, but would like to hear anyone else's experience with recovering from gymnast's wrist (distal radial epiphysitis). My daughter (L8 last season, trying for L9 this summer until this came up) was diagnosed with bilateral gymnast's wrist. The right is mild while the left is severe, with slight radial ulnar variance already occurring. She was told to take 12 weeks off any wrist weight bearing at which time they will repeat x-rays. Doctor said if it has improved, she can slowly return to activity. If not, she will need more time off. When she is released to go back, if it occurs again, he said she may have to stop gymnastics completely. I asked about treatment options to continue gym at that point and he said we would wait and see how things were looking then. My question is, has anyone dealt with a diagnosis of "severe" gymnast's wrist and recovered enough to resume full activity? What was the treatment, time away from gym, etc. Thank you in advance.

I would get a second opinion. Is surgery an option? My daughter is same level as your daughter and he OCD of her elbow, again. We finally found a doctor who says she can return to the sport after surgery, unlike others in the past. Her teammate had the wrist issue you mentioned above and with about a month rest she was back to activity. It was minor tho. Go to a pediatric sports medicine orthopedic surgeon.

 

[nemo544]

I would get a second opinion. Is surgery an option? My daughter is same level as your daughter and he OCD of her elbow, again. We finally found a doctor who says she can return to the sport after surgery, unlike others in the past. Her teammate had the wrist issue you mentioned above and with about a month rest she was back to activity. It was minor tho. Go to a pediatric sports medicine orthopedic surgeon.

Thank you, flyinghigh. This was our second opinion with a pediatric sports medicine MD. Our first opinion with a different sports med doc was worse. We are totally fine with her resting them, just hoping to find someone who had a severe case and eventually recovered and was able to resume their usual activity. She’s 11 so she has many years ahead and hoping she can stay healthy after this!

 

[mom2gymnast]

So my daughter has been dealing with this since March. At first they thought it was a fracture in two of her wrist bones. This was from X-ray. She was braced and off weight bearing for 3 weeks. Follow up X-ray didn't show healing so she had MRI which showed a significant stress fracture in the growth plate. She was casted for 4 weeks and then put back in the brace for 2 more. Still had pain. Long story short we fought insurance for an additional MRI with contrast, have seen a hand surgeon and will have the MRI this week. They think she may have TFCC tear as well. All this to say, she is 15 weeks into this and they think her gymnast wrist is healed but will know for sure after this MRI. So yes, 12 weeks is about what they had mine out for as well. The good news is the pain she did have when pushing on her growth plate is gone, so I do think that has healed.
And Flyinghigh, last year she had elbow OCD and was able to return from that so yes it is possible. Ironically the hand surgeon also does elbows and said her wrist issue could be from her OCD surgery (all the same arm) I plan to ask more about that when we follow up with her after the MRI.
I am questioning our sanity at this point as she still goes to gym everyday!

 

[2gymmies]

We had a girl at our gym with bilateral severe gymnast wrist and it was a lot longer than 12 weeks but she is back in the gym finally. I think it was 6 months completely no weight bearing.

 

[nemo544]

So my daughter has been dealing with this since March. At first they thought it was a fracture in two of her wrist bones. This was from X-ray. She was braced and off weight bearing for 3 weeks. Follow up X-ray didn't show healing so she had MRI which showed a significant stress fracture in the growth plate. She was casted for 4 weeks and then put back in the brace for 2 more. Still had pain. Long story short we fought insurance for an additional MRI with contrast, have seen a hand surgeon and will have the MRI this week. They think she may have TFCC tear as well. All this to say, she is 15 weeks into this and they think her gymnast wrist is healed but will know for sure after this MRI. So yes, 12 weeks is about what they had mine out for as well. The good news is the pain she did have when pushing on her growth plate is gone, so I do think that has healed.
And Flyinghigh, last year she had elbow OCD and was able to return from that so yes it is possible. Ironically the hand surgeon also does elbows and said her wrist issue could be from her OCD surgery (all the same arm) I plan to ask more about that when we follow up with her after the MRI.
I am questioning our sanity at this point as she still goes to gym everyday!

Thank you mom2gymnast. Did anyone you see tell you that you should consider taking her out of gymnastics completely? Two different doctors told us that! Please update me on the MRI later this week.

 

[mom2gymnast]

Thank you mom2gymnast. Did anyone you see tell you that you should consider taking her out of gymnastics completely? Two different doctors told us that! Please update me on the MRI later this week.

I will say that through it all she has had great doctors that have worked with her to get her back in the gym. None have said she should quit. I am so thankful for that. If she needs to stop, I want it to be on her terms!
She has her follow up from the MRI on the 12th. I make sure and update with the results!

 

[mom2gymnast]

Well DD had her MRI today. We will not get the official results until next week, but the doctor who was injecting the dye said he saw an issue with the Scapholunate Ligament. We talked to her original ortho after and he said that is what he suspected (along with the TFCC) from her pain areas. I will update after we find out for sure after meeting with the surgeon but it does not look like good news.

 

[nemo544]

Update for anyone else with this issue: after 13 weeks with no wrist weight bearing, DD was released to full activity. X-rays showed full resolution of bilateral distal radial epiphysitis. She’s taking it slow getting her strength back, but is now pain free. She is taping and bracing for every event.

 

[gymboymom]

Update for anyone else with this issue: after 13 weeks with no wrist weight bearing, DD was released to full activity. X-rays showed full resolution of bilateral distal radial epiphysitis. She’s taking it slow getting her strength back, but is now pain free. She is taping and bracing for every event.

That’s great news! Just make sure she takes it super slow. My ds is coming back from ocd In elbow and his PT is using his ability to tolerate handstand holds against the wall as an indicator of how much weight bearing to allow. Those muscles get weak fast with no weight bearing. Good luck to her!