Parents spondylolysis

[NutterButter]

It took my DD 10 months before she was back to doing all of her skills. After her injury was diagnosed she did NOTHING for 8 weeks. No gym, no PT, no running. After 8 weeks she started PT and started gradually transitioning back to skills. It still took a few more months before she started back tumbling and when she did, it was small numbers. Her PT guided her on when she could add new skills. Her injury was diagnosed in February and she was competing 100% of her skill level by January.

In my DDs case, we knew why the injury happened since there were so many other back injuries at the gym. Her PT made sure she developed proper core muscles and she relearned how to do some skills and landings/dismounts.

 

[Smaa]

It took my DD 10 months before she was back to doing all of her skills. After her injury was diagnosed she did NOTHING for 8 weeks. No gym, no PT, no running. After 8 weeks she started PT and started gradually transitioning back to skills. It still took a few more months before she started back tumbling and when she did, it was small numbers. Her PT guided her on when she could add new skills. Her injury was diagnosed in February and she was competing 100% of her skill level by January.

In my DDs case, we knew why the injury happened since there were so many other back injuries at the gym. Her PT made sure she developed proper core muscles and she relearned how to do some skills and landings/dismounts.

Hi,
Your information is really helpful and encouraging. Thank you!!!
Did she use a corset?
My daughter stopped for three months and then went back to gymnastics. Apparently it was too fast and the pain returned. That's why we stopped again. And now she has been treated with a corset for three months. Next week, a X-ray to see what the situation is. Is your daughter do x- ray/mri?

 

[NutterButter]

Hi,
Your information is really helpful and encouraging. Thank you!!!
Did she use a corset?
My daughter stopped for three months and then went back to gymnastics. Apparently it was too fast and the pain returned. That's why we stopped again. And now she has been treated with a corset for three months. Next week, a X-ray to see what the situation is. Is your daughter do x- ray/mri?

MRI only. Xrays aren't the best at detecting fractures. No corset. The key for my daughter was the PT. She also took 6+ months to regain skills and stopped doing some all together and limited reps on others (still to this day). During that time there were several starts and stops as she would halt progression as the pain returned. Is your daughter working with a PT? I can't emphasize enough the importance of working with someone who knows gymnastics. My daughter had 3 fractures in L4/L5. Two years later she was starting to develop another fracture but came back from this too (and that time she worked with a personal trainer and returned to gymnastics stronger than ever; even starting collegiate gymnastics her back was fine).

 

[Smaa]

We will start physical therapy after the meeting with the doctor in a week. I hope that there will see an improvement. He asked for an X-ray because the fracture was also seen in the previous photographs.
how old is your girl don’t you afraid of future damage?

 

[Smaa]

We will start physical therapy after the meeting with the doctor in a week. I hope that there will see an improvement. He asked for an X-ray because the fracture was also seen in the previous photographs.
how old is your girl don’t you afraid of future damage?

In the future?

 

[PeanutsMom]

Of all the kids I have seen over the years at DDs gym get this injury I think 2 of 4 have come back. The 2 that did not didn't every try their parents pulled them from the sport after the diagnosis. One came back and had a very successful level 8 year and is going to level 9 this year. The other came just came back and hurt her ankle but her mom says she still has some back pain so to be honest I am not sure if she will fully return or not. My kiddo....we well she wants to try so we will know by this time next year I guess.

It definitely depends on the kid, how well they heal, how well they do in PT and if PT can identify and rectify the functionality issues that caused it in the first place so you can strengthen the right muscles and adapt the right skills to keep it from coming back. Usually its a strength issue (either core or some imbalance in the back muscles) or a flexibility issue (overly tight shoulders and hamstrings that cause you to "hinge" in a way that stresses the spine) My kiddo is probably mostly a flexibility issue. Her friend was a core strength issue...she was super bendy. Thats why PT is so crucial what worked for the other kid may not work for mine.

IF my kid gets another fracture or starts having more back pain I am pulling her out for good so she gets one shot at a comeback and she knows that. One major Back injury ...second time I pull the plug whether she wants to quit or not. Only you, your family, and your Drs can decide what the line in the sand is for you specifically and it will differ from other peoples.

Usually its a strength issue (either core or some imbalance in the back muscles) or a flexibility issue (overly tight shoulders and hamstrings that cause you to "hinge" in a way that stresses the spine)


This is the case for my daughter. She had super strong back muscles, but her core ab muscles were not as strong, so her back pulled the lumbar spine out of alignment (this is in a nutshell what the surgeons explained to us). She had a rigorous course of core PT to focus on balancing out the issue.

 

[MuggleMom]

Haven't seen the PT yet to know what was the biggest contributing factor for my kid but her coach thought that she had a super strong core but weaker back muscles and lack of flexability. She is literally the least flexible on her team....we kind of joke about it. I keep stressing to her she needs to take owership of her flexibility stuff if she wants to keep doing gymnastics. I dont think her gym does as good a job on the flexibilty stuff and stretching prehab stuff as they could be doing. And its hard cause I want to tell my kid to work on those things at home...but when shes in school from 8-4:15 and gym is 5-9 and somewhere in there she has to eat and do homework and like pee or something lol when is she supposed to work on flexability?? But I know she is going to have to modify workloads moving forward so I want her to find productive things to do at gym when shes doing less reps or different things than the others.

 

[Smaa]

In my daughter's case, she has hyperflexibility throughout her body. It is important that they work with your daughter on flexibility as part of the physical therapy and that she do it in the gym before starting the workout. My daughter difficulty in these three months is that I restrict her in everything in the hope that it will pass. We will continue to hold out and hope there will be good news and she will be able to continue what she loves most.