Injury Advice

[GymnastRaeRae87]

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Location: TN
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Injury Advice
My daughter has her first injury. She has three pars fractures in her spine. The doctor explained the pars are small bones that connect the vertebrae and it is commonly found in gymnasts caused over time. She has been placed in a full torso brace for approx 4 months. He says nothing that has any impact. I am really nervous because I know she is going to lose muscle tone and probably skills. Am I over-reacting? Is there something I could have her doing? How hard is it going to be to get her back into shape after this? She is really down because she is going to miss her entire meet season. Help!!!!!

That was posted and I felt like I just had to put this in the Gymnast Forum. I fractured all 10 toes, my left ankle, my right heel, and I had bone bruising in both heels. I was out for three months. I know it must be hard for your dd...I know it was for me. I don't want to say that the time will go by quick because it does seem like a long time. I don't be to be negative though. I lost strength and skills but it has been coming back VERY quickly. I am sure she is dedicated to the sport, which is key.
I started a work-out on the days that I don't have gym. I have p.e. and gym on the same day so it is a double work out. I do excercises for each part of my body. It really helps. I am really careful so I don't hurt myself.

BTW I landed on cement after a round off 3 BHS back tuck. I landed next to the floor. My pass was really good though and my tuck was really high but it jurt really bad.

Just tell your daughter that as long as she is dedicated she will get back to her full potentional soon. I went into the gym and watched so it wasn't like I was out out of the gym. I am sure she is sweet and dedicated gymnast so she will e back to her regular self soon. As long as she keeps the faith and looks at the good things she will be better soon. If she looks on the bright side and when she can go back she will forget about the time being so long. I focused on other activities which helped. I couldn' physical activity so I focused on reading and having relaxation days with my friends and family. I enjoyed going to the movies and hanging out watching movies.

I hope she gets better soon. How did she get hurt?

 

[hammy]

I can relate to your daughter. I was lucky to never really be injured as a gymnast until my junior year of high school when I found out that my back (L5) was fractured. My doctor put me in a full torso back brace and said no gym for 10-12 weeks. I was completely devistated and somewhat depressed. I absoluetly hated missing gym, so I found that it helped to be in the gym with my teammates while I was injured. Some days (most days) I wished I was there doing the gym instead of sitting, but I also learned a whole lot from sitting--I worked my gymnastics mind instead of my body.

Ask your doctor is there are any physical therapy things she can do, after a few weeks of rest. When I came back, I had to start off slow and it was hard to go slow at first, but after the first week or so I felt that I was back to my old self. I think being in the gym with my teammates really helped keep me in "gym mode." Personally, I was quite surprised how quickly I was able to come back after such an injury, but I think it's like riding a bicycle--once you learn you never forget. Also, be sure to continue physical therapy after the brace comes off, this is something my doctor did not have me do, and I didn't think about it until the trainer at college told me I should have done PT.

Good luck! Don't give up, injuries are sometimes a way of tell us to slow down and enjoy the world around us. Your daughter should be just fine, as long as she is dedicated and willing to work hard, which I'm sure she is.

 

[MaggiesRanda]

Although I havent been hurt that much, I know what it feels like to not be able to come to gym and just watching isnt any better. I sprained my ankle and was out for two weeks and what made me frustrated was that I was walking and tripped over a mat. But when I was able to come back the skills were still there and one of my friends who has been hurt for a while is getting her skills back like crazy! I know she gets frustrated but everyone is there for her and is really surprised by how fast she is getting everything! And she will still be getting better!

!Randa!

 

[GymnastRaeRae87]

Quickly

Although I havent been hurt that much, I know what it feels like to not be able to come to gym and just watching isnt any better. I sprained my ankle and was out for two weeks and what made me frustrated was that I was walking and tripped over a mat. But when I was able to come back the skills were still there and one of my friends who has been hurt for a while is getting her skills back like crazy! I know she gets frustrated but everyone is there for her and is really surprised by how fast she is getting everything! And she will still be getting better!

!Randa!

Yes, it comes back quickly if you still go to the gym. I agree with Hammy I went to the gym and it was great seeing what my fellow gymnasts did, it actually helped a lot. My coaches sent me a card saying they wanted me to get better and it is great to know your coaches/team want you back, which I am sure is the same case for you. Things will come back quickly...I surprised myself how quickly I came back...my ankles are weak so it hurts on floor still but I am working on it everyday and healing even more. How is she doing?

 

[flippin fool 08]

one of my friends was doing a freehip on bars and dislocked her elbow right after the first meet and a nother girl is out for the season because of a cut on her thumb that cut her musle.

 

[upsidedwn4evr]

In july I found out that I had a stress fracture in my back (L5) and I was also put in a back brace and wasn't allowed to do anything for 3 months. I know exactly how your daughter is feeling and I really feel for her. What really helped me to not be so down even though it was hard, was I was in the gym almost every single day sitting out on the floor next to my coach watching my teammates work out. After a while I got bored with just sitting so I brought in a video camera and videod everything. Ya know my teammates doing skills, talking to each other, my coach giving someone a correction stuff like that. Since I had so much time on my hands and it was summer time, I put all of the vids that I had taken and put them in windows movie maker and made all of my teammates movies of their summer workout. =] It really helped me to feel involved in what they were doing instead of feeling left out of the group just beacuse I couldn't participate with them. What I am noticing now that I am back to gym is that I really really really learned a lot from sitting and watching and listening to my coach give them corrections. Tell your daughter to do the same and do a TON of mental gymnastics. What also really helped me to not be so down about not being able to do gym, was doing a lot of other things that I wouldn't have had a chance to do because of gym. I'm not sure if your daughter is allowed to swim or not with her back but if she is go to the pool (maybe an indoor one because its winter time lol) and just do laps. This really helped me stay in shape a little and feel like I was getting to actually do something even if It wasn't gym. Also, a vacation really helped too lol!! Taking one that I usually wouldn't be able to take because I wouldn't want to miss gym. I hope that I helped and If you or your daughter have any questions or need someone to talk to feel free to message me anytime.

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

I'm so sorry for your daughter- I broke my ankle at the end of the summer and I found it really hard.
Try to have her always doing something, watching a dvd, tv, computer, drawing, reading. IMO if I wasn't doing anything, I felt more and more sorry for myself. Swimming is meant to be really good too, but I don't know if that would hurt her more- but I know a guy with severe juvenile athritis and since he's taken up swimming (just rec) he's not had the problems he had when he didn't do anything. In our gym injured girls sometimes come in and help out, but it makes some really upset.

Good luck, and remember the holiday can sometimes do you good!
xxxxxxx