WAG So - who has recovered from a stress fracture in their back?

[NutterButter]

@Traci - I'm so sorry your DD is still in pain. And how frustrating this is in getting answers on exactly what's going on.

My DD (L9) was diagnosed with multiple fractures this week in L3, L4 and L5 this week. We were stunned to learn this as DD's pain level was pretty minimal. Based on her physical examination and pain level, she was given the option of modifying training/reducing reps and holding off on the MRI until the end of the season. I wanted to know and DD was able to get the MRI that same day. This has all happened so quickly! So now "no activity" for 4 weeks. DD had some questions about her injury that I couldn't answer so I called the doctor to ask them and mostly got clarification on what "no activity" means (no backpack and no unnecessary walking among other things). No PT for now though I'm hoping that this will be introduced sometime after her next appointment in 4 weeks.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

@Traci - I'm so sorry your DD is still in pain. And how frustrating this is in getting answers on exactly what's going on.

My DD (L9) was diagnosed with multiple fractures this week in L3, L4 and L5 this week. We were stunned to learn this as DD's pain level was pretty minimal. Based on her physical examination and pain level, she was given the option of modifying training/reducing reps and holding off on the MRI until the end of the season. I wanted to know and DD was able to get the MRI that same day. This has all happened so quickly! So now "no activity" for 4 weeks. DD had some questions about her injury that I couldn't answer so I called the doctor to ask them and mostly got clarification on what "no activity" means (no backpack and no unnecessary walking among other things). No PT for now though I'm hoping that this will be introduced sometime after her next appointment in 4 weeks.

Yes, specifics on "no activity" is extremely helpful - it's easy to cross the line when the line isn't cut and dry.

 

[IreneKa]

Yes, specifics on "no activity" is extremely helpful - it's easy to cross the line when the line isn't cut and dry.

FWIW, my DD was never told "no activity". She was told no arching after the initial appointment, and then after she was in the brace she was told she could do anything the brace would allow her to do. Which wasn't much, but she never stopped going to the gym the whole time she was in the brace.
But we are not really a good example, because my DD never fully recovered and had to quit gymnastics because of this. However I strongly believe that her ongoing back problems were not related to a lack of rest, but more to not doing all the exercises she was given. We've seen two different orthopedists and four different PTs, so there were lots of great advice on what she needed to stretch or strengthen or whatever, but it was constantly a struggle for me to make her do any of the exercises.

 

[Traci]

Well, the first sport ortho ordered a complete "shut-down" for two weeks. Went back for the two week follow up and she was still in the same amount of pain - so he said another two weeks of no activity - she could stretch but is to stop if it hurt. EVERYTHING hurts. So - we are on the 4/5th week of no activity - which is why we went to see the pediatric ortho....something has to help her with the pain.... Anti-inflammatory's aren't doing it -- but I do not want anything else.... So - we'll go for the scan next week and go from there...

 

[VanessaJV]

Well I posted in the start of this thread my daughter was finally going to go back to the gym to stretch, do pt, and a small amount of conditioning. This was after being in a hard brace for 3 months and completely out of any gym for 4.5 months. She made it back to her “gymnastics lite” for 2.5 weeks and she is now out again due to pain returning to almost the level it was at when first diagnosed. Pain wasnt due to gym per say since she wasn’t doing anything... just from regular life and not being ready to do much of anything yet.

Sigh... what I am realizing through this journey, is that it truly is day by day. When you start to think you know what is happening, and there is a plan in place, it changes. Patience is a virtue with all of this.

 

[Traci]

Well I posted in the start of this thread my daughter was finally going to go back to the gym to stretch, do pt, and a small amount of conditioning. This was after being in a hard brace for 3 months and completely out of any gym for 4.5 months. She made it back to her “gymnastics lite” for 2.5 weeks and she is now out again due to pain returning to almost the level it was at when first diagnosed. Pain wasnt due to gym per say since she wasn’t doing anything... just from regular life and not being ready to do much of anything yet.

Sigh... what I am realizing through this journey, is that it truly is day by day. When you start to think you know what is happening, and there is a plan in place, it changes. Patience is a virtue with all of this.

Vanessa - I am So sorry. You are a 100% right, it’s a day by day deal. I just hate it and feel so helpless...

 

[bogwoppit]

However I strongly believe that her ongoing back problems were not related to a lack of rest, but more to not doing all the exercises she was given. We've seen two different orthopedists and four different PTs, so there were lots of great advice on what she needed to stretch or strengthen or whatever, but it was constantly a struggle for me to make her do any of the exercises.

BUt do not think that is definitely the case. My kid did everything she was supposed to do, for years, had surgery and still did everything right. Yet here we are years on and nothing has changed.

 

[Traci]

So - here is my concern.... The sports ortho says L5 Pars Defect - the pediatric ortho not convinced of that - feels it may be degenerative disk damage --- which is why we are getting a bone scan tomorrow.
What do we do if the two have difference of opinions/diagnosis??

 

[bogwoppit]

So - here is my concern.... The sports ortho says L5 Pars Defect - the pediatric ortho not convinced of that - feels it may be degenerative disk damage --- which is why we are getting a bone scan tomorrow.
What do we do if the two have difference of opinions/diagnosis??

Well a bone scan would pretty much confirm a correct diagnosis.

 

[MickeyDGym]

Alex McMurtry of Florida is doing fine. She has them.

 

[flipping_girls]

We are three weeks into "no activity at all" restriction for a L5 bilateral stress fracture in our 13 year old. The initial treatment included a massive steroid pack that seemed to reduce the significant nerve pain in her leg. On our follow up visit, our ortho cited a study completed in Japan, I believe, where CT scans were used to monitor healing of stress fractures every two weeks with maximum healing being reached at 12 weeks. For this reason he felt that absolutely no activity (including PT) for the full 12 weeks, then aggressive/intense PT was the only way we could ensure complete healing. He mentioned that he has rehabbed multiple college gymnasts with the same injury who returned to the sport without issue.

Is anyone familiar with this study? I would love to read more about the findings.

I also had a chiro friend mention a bone supplement. Has anyone be advised to add anything specific to maximize healing?

 

[bogwoppit]

We are three weeks into "no activity at all" restriction for a L5 bilateral stress fracture in our 13 year old. The initial treatment included a massive steroid pack that seemed to reduce the significant nerve pain in her leg. On our follow up visit, our ortho cited a study completed in Japan, I believe, where CT scans were used to monitor healing of stress fractures every two weeks with maximum healing being reached at 12 weeks. For this reason he felt that absolutely no activity (including PT) for the full 12 weeks, then aggressive/intense PT was the only way we could ensure complete healing. He mentioned that he has rehabbed multiple college gymnasts with the same injury who returned to the sport without issue.

Is anyone familiar with this study? I would love to read more about the findings.

I also had a chiro friend mention a bone supplement. Has anyone be advised to add anything specific to maximize healing?

There is a lot of radiation in a CT scan, I would really not want to be doing those every two weeks.

 

[tpMom]

Traci - I'm late to this thread, because my DD has not had this issue, but as I was reading through it this afternoon my heart was just aching for you and your daughter. Although my daughter has not had a stress fracture in her spine, she has had unexplained lung scarring and joint paint and I know from this experience that there is nothing worse then having a child in pain and not totally understanding why - especially because it leaves open so many possibilities. I am a firm believer in hope, but when you start the healing process with hope, and 6 weeks later there's no improvement and you still don't have a firm diagnosis, sometimes that hope becomes painful all by itself. I can't imagine how your daughter must be feeling - to be in pain all the time, to be doing everything right, and to not see any results.

All I can say is be persistent. Be your daughter's advocate. Keep copies of all of her appointments and tests and results. Don't let the specialists you see brush you off or rush you through an appointment. Don't be afraid to get a third, or fourth opinion. Educate yourself on her diagnosis and possible treatments. The bone scan should tell you much more - hopefully you'll have some real answers and a real plan very soon.

 

[flipping_girls]

There is a lot of radiation in a CT scan, I would really not want to be doing those every two weeks.

I absolutely agree. I am not sure how they got people to agree to be a part of the study in the first place. Even the doctor who cited the study, pointed out that it was an insane amount of radiation for the patients, and the study (which I think in the 90's) would never be duplicated for that reason. He did mention that there was a still significant amount of healing between 10-12 weeks of an L5 stress fracture that presented in the scans, hence the reason he insists his patients take the full 12 weeks for complete healing.

 

[bogwoppit]

I absolutely agree. I am not sure how they got people to agree to be a part of the study in the first place. Even the doctor who cited the study, pointed out that it was an insane amount of radiation for the patients, and the study (which I think in the 90's) would never be duplicated for that reason. He did mention that there was a still significant amount of healing between 10-12 weeks of an L5 stress fracture that presented in the scans, hence the reason he insists his patients take the full 12 weeks for complete healing.

Would be interesting to see any follow up on the patients.

 

[munchkin3]

3 girls at my gym have recovered enough to compete. They all have modifications for certain skills, ie-no BWO.
One even had spinal fusion and shes still training up to almost L8.
all the girls lost a significant amount of time- 6 months to a year.

 

[gfgymnast]

I had a stress fracture when I was 12. I was out for about 3 years and i did every type of treatment possible: Surgery, back brace, cortisone, therapy, etc. I went back to gym when I was 15. I worked extremely hard to come back and regain strength. Before my injury I was the gymnast who easily and very successfully flew through the levels. But now gymnastics does not come easily anymore and if I didn’t love the sport more than anything, I would definitely have given up.

 

[Traci]

Okay - so bone/ct scan showed it pretty active and acute - spondylolysis without spondylolisthesis. So - I am gathering it is really nothing "more" than the original diagnosis of a stress fracture. They will brace it and start physical therapy....out for another 6 weeks though....

Damn this sport...

 

[NutterButter]

@Traci - when will she start PT? How many weeks has she been out? My DD just finished Week 2 of no activity. My DD goes back in a couple more weeks and maybe we will learn when she can start PT. Not that I'm in any hurry...I just want it to heal.

 

[Traci]

She has not done anything --- NOTHING --- since January 17th, although I believe the actual date of injury was January 9th. The MRI was done on January 18th which lead to the diagnosis of L5 Pars defect. Due to the continued pain (which hasn't decreased at all) we went to another doctor who ordered the bone/ct scan. We haven't started PT yet - trying to get that setup so I can't say just yet how that will go.