Parents Spondylolosis

[5birds]

I had posted earlier about my 8 year old daughter having back pain. I took her to Children's and it was determined she has a stress fracture in the pars of the L3 vertebrae. Still shocked as she just turned 8 years old. She was supposed to have her first level 4 meet today. She is so depressed and is in a back brace 23/7. The ortho said she should heal fine and be fully back in gymnastics in about 4 months. She can do gymnastics in her brace in about 6 weeks. No back extensions.
Any other younger kids have this? How long did it take for them to heal and be back in gymnastics fully? Was it hard for them to re-learn their skills?

 

[gymmomtoo]

Wow--poor kid and to have that at only 8 yrs old! I hope her recovery goes well.

 

[SignHere]

I don't know about younger kids, but my DD was 12 when diagnosed. Be your child's advocate.

She will be healthier if her return to gymnastics includes physical therapy to work on improving core strength. My DD's physical therapist commented that DD's spine was unusually flexible and that flexibility, along with rapid growth, contributes to the stress fracture.

Good luck! DD's projected return to competition after diagnosis is 7 months, BTW. She is in Optionals.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Lets hope her coaches are smart enough to eliminate Back walkovers

 

[htimcj]

So sorry!

 

[saddlupasb]

We had an 8 year old with it last year. Freaks me out when I see girls at open gym especially pushing their lower backs in and doing backbends that way.

So sorry. But she will heal. Flexy girls are always in danger of this.

 

[bogwoppit]

Be cautious, follow the docs guidelines to the letter, avoiding backwalkovers and bridges forever would be my advice. The fracture will heal but they can recur and now you know it has happened once know it may happen again.

I agree that flexy girls are very much in danger of this. My oldest had it and ended up with spinal fusion surgery and still has back pain. Youngest dd is now being evaluated for back pain.

 

[5birds]

As parents, would you give the advice to pull my dd from gymnastics forever? Unfortunately, back walkovers are part of the level 4 floor routine. How would I be able to tell her coach to never have her do them again? I am really wondering if I should just pull her from gymnastics completely.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

U don't need to pull her for a skill in a level that is not necessary. Take the year off competition and train up.

 

[bogwoppit]

U don't need to pull her for a skill in a level that is not necessary. Take the year off competition and train up.

This is what I would do. I would tell the coach that BWO's just are not something she can do. On floor she will take a hit, but that is the only place it is an issue. After L6 BWO becomes strictly optional.

 

[MaryA]

She would technically be required to score out of (new) 4. And she would also need to do a BWO BWO on beam in level 5. Maybe Xcell till she has the skills for optionals? I know there is a way for older girls to petition their way into optionals without scoring out of compulsories. It seems like there should be a way to do it for younger girls who need to avoid certain compulsory skills for medical reasons. Does anyone know? This is certainly not the first time I've heard the advice here on CB to eliminate back bends and BWO's, so I'm guessing USAG has dealt with this issue in the past?

 

[AmandaLynn]

This is what I would do. I would tell the coach that BWO's just are not something she can do. On floor she will take a hit, but that is the only place it is an issue. After L6 BWO becomes strictly optional.

Actually, after that L4 floor routine, it can be avoided. They are allowed to choose between a BWO, a BHS, or a BXR in new 5 on beam.

Regarding the L 4 floor, it is .8 for omitting the BWO. It is fair to say that it is entirely possible for a kid that is solid to attain her necessary 31.0 to move on to L5 without doing the BWO in the floor routine.

 

[saddlupasb]

She could also just not work BWO and do it once to score out. She needs to work core no matter what.

 

[MaryA]

Actually, after that L4 floor routine, it can be avoided. They are allowed to choose between a BWO, a BHS, or a BXR in new 5 on beam.

Ah. I haven't paid too much attention to the compulsory changes other than new 5 = old 6, etc. What is a BXR? I thought I knew all the acronyms by now, but clearly not!

 

[AmandaLynn]

Back extension roll. Though, technically, it doesn't even need to go to a full handstand. Just 3/4.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

She can score out without it and never has to do a BWO again.

 

[shelovestoflip]

My daughter had a stress fracture a few years ago. It was during her Level 6 season....BWO on beam.

Agree with others....eliminate back bends and BWO for the most part. Though her ortho said once in a while was OK and would actually be better for her back then never doing them again. However keeping them out of routines avoids the need to practice them excessively!

Her coaches were excellent and I think that is key. Be sure you love the coaches and they are 100% on board with her recovery.

Her doctor didn't say to quit....in fact he was quite comfortable saying that if she did all her PT etc that it was very likely she would heal completely, which she did.

Do exactly what the doctor says to do!

 

[shelovestoflip]

PS.....my daughter is actually NOT that flexible. However one thing the PT mentioned was that she had tight shoulders (forget the exact term) so the PT had her do an exercise to loosen her shoulders.

Coaches can correct me here, but I think that with a BWO, you are supposed to 'lead' (not sure of term) with your shoulders but if your shoulders are tight, they instinctively lead with their backs, which is what causes a problem for some girls.

Again, sorry if I'm not explaining this correctly, but I know it was something that my daughter worked excessively in PT (plus the constant core strengthening to protect the spine)

 

[gymdog]

If she is 8 years old I would take the full 4 months off and continue with the PT to build mobility in the shoulders.

 

[iwannacoach]

As parents, would you give the advice to pull my dd from gymnastics forever? Unfortunately, back walkovers are part of the level 4 floor routine. How would I be able to tell her coach to never have her do them again? I am really wondering if I should just pull her from gymnastics completely.

I wouldn't go that far. It seems the doctor feels she can return to the sport, and unless you're leaving something out the ortho hasn't indicated any restrictions once she's healed. I wouldn't go as far as allowing her to work on bwo and back bends for the first year back. I can't see any reason to have a kid work on these two motions, so really I'd say no bwo or back bend work until the end of time.

The back handspring is another skill that, when done wrong, can cause low back problems. Since most kids go through qo whoops phase where things aren't in the right position, I'd suggest she stay away from the skill until she's had time to strengthen her core.