Parents Pigeon Toed

[SupportingHerDreams]

My almost 9yr old (starting DP level 5 in January) is very pigeon toed. I had never even noticed it before I started researching her deductions on beam. But now I see that even between events at meets she stands with both feet totally turned inward. I also think she is getting a lot of deductions for this on beam and floor.

She has always loved beam and she works very hard at it. I hate to see her not live up to her potential due to this issue. Any ideas on ways to combat this? Drills? or should I just put her ina ballet class to learn good turn-out?

 

[Coach Kate]

I would recommend a physical therapist. I am good friends with two lovely pediatric PTs and with your daughter being that age and still having significant in toe issues, there may be some weakness in her hips that could be helped by some time with someone knowledgeable in this field.

 

[Deleted member 25978]

My almost 9yr old (starting DP level 5 in January) is very pigeon toed. I had never even noticed it before I started researching her deductions on beam. But now I see that even between events at meets she stands with both feet totally turned inward. I also think she is getting a lot of deductions for this on beam and floor.

She has always loved beam and she works very hard at it. I hate to see her not live up to her potential due to this issue. Any ideas on ways to combat this? Drills? or should I just put her ina ballet class to learn good turn-out?

Ballet class is good and all, but I agree with the other poster that PT may be better. To prevent injury, strength rather than flexibility will help her.

For some positive inspiration, Rebecca Bross has knock knees and has managed to win multiple international titles. To my understanding, she does not receive a deduction for sickling her feet to make them touch due to her condition (I attached a pic). However those knees and ankles (along with Valeri Liukin but that’s a whole can of worms) have gotten some gnarly injuries. Perhaps they could’ve been prevented with better strength and PT. Still, she is a former shining star of WOGA.

If I may say as a coach, I like to try and roll with the punches. Yes, I’ll try to correct certain things. Heck, I have an athlete right now with rather pronated feet. That’s something she’s getting surgery for. In the time being, I help strengthen her and change her skills around to best suit her body (hooray XCel).

I’d rather help the gymnast shine where I can. Meaning, we may work on things while also understanding that some deductions may be ‘built in’. In the position I’m in, I’m hesitant to ask a child to change their body. I fear I’ll make the child self conscious or I’ll make the issue worse. However, it can be helped with care and support from you, her coach, and her doctor. You have your heart in an amazing place, so I’m sure you’ll find a solution.

 

[gymisforeveryone]

One of my gymnasts used to be like this when she was little. It was a pretty severe case. Now she's 10 and the problem is gone. She went to physical therapy and started to do ice skating in addition to her gymnastics and that has helped her a lot. She's still doing both sports, but gymnastics is the number one sport for her.

 

[JPC13]

Talk to a doctor specializing in sports medicine. Ever since reading some papers about sex specific sports injuries, I'm extremely leery of "just work around it" when it comes to potential female body dysfunctions in sports.

This is a decent lay summary of one potential issue that you might be dancing around:

Female Athlete Hip Injuries: How Sex-Specific Differences in Structure & Function Affect Injury Patterns

The anatomy of the hip and pelvis varies considerably in females compared to males. Many of these differences exist in order to allow for pregnancy and childbirth in women, while others are likely related to multiple factors.

www.massgeneral.org

If you look at the bodies of most of the girls/women who excel at gymnastics without a huge history of injury, they often have a narrow hip/wide shoulder body type. I.e., more similar to that of an athletic male. Sometimes I wonder if some female body types (not weight, body fat%, etc., but rather the underlying bony structure) aren't up to the incredible repetitive shocks and impacts of gymnastics.

 

[trackandfield6]

My almost 9yr old (starting DP level 5 in January) is very pigeon toed. I had never even noticed it before I started researching her deductions on beam. But now I see that even between events at meets she stands with both feet totally turned inward. I also think she is getting a lot of deductions for this on beam and floor.

She has always loved beam and she works very hard at it. I hate to see her not live up to her potential due to this issue. Any ideas on ways to combat this? Drills? or should I just put her ina ballet class to learn good turn-out?