Women Stress Fracture Sesamoid Bone

[Kimemac]

My DD got a stress fracture in her sesamoid bone, which is one of the bones in the ball of the foot, padding on bottom of foot by the big toe. She developed it from preparing for states. Dr had her in a boot for 4 months, trying to heal...he said it was a 50/50 chance healing because a ligament runs right over it...every time foot bends, puts stress/pull on it. She rested and healed. Went back to summer training and it came back. She’s about 6-8 weeks with pain again. Dr said it’s not full blown but starting again. He prescribed an arthritic cream which was denied first by insurance because she didn’t meet age/medical use. Anyway, she is just getting back into training getting ready for competition season. In pain-we ice, medicate with anti-inflammatory and “try” to limit pounding on foot which is near impossible. Quitting/taking season off is NOT an option. She is looking for private high schools to compete/enroll/attend.
As it is, she lots some skills that she could only do on her team and she’s struggling to get back. We actually compete in JOGA, Jersey Optional Gymnastic. She was the only girl on her level/age, attempt and land a double back handspring on beam. (She actually had flu and 102 degree fever, took a wobble on a small turn before dismount because dizzy from fever, and fell off beam but still took 3rd)
Anyway, the 4 months out, in boot, hurt her skills. She can’t even do one backhand spring on beam, vault is messy, etc. She doesn’t want to lose anything again...competition season starts soon.
This MUST be a common injury for gymnasts? What can I do to pad, brace or give relief. Again, she does not want to take season off. Dr refuses to give cortisone injections. She said she’s willing to train/compete with pain...but it is affecting her skills. Can anyone recommend any treatment or braces or tape/support so she doesn’t constantly hurt? Thanks so much!

 

[MILgymFAM]

Honestly, the only thing I could recommend is making her take time off to heal properly. Gymnastics is fleeting and pain can last a lifetime if you don’t care for the body properly- she obviously needs her feet forever. The only time I personally would be willing to even discuss training on an injury is a run up to the Olympics- or more realistically a run up to nationals for a girl in position for college recruiting. And even then the stance would probably be no. I know that’s not what you’re looking to hear, and I’m sorry about that, but you need to put her health first because she’ll put gymnastics first.

 

[mommyof1]

What MILgymFAM said.

And I’m sure glad my kid wasn’t in your daughter’s session at the meet where you let her compete with the flu.

 

[3cats]

The foot is a very intricate part of the body. Each bone meticulously melded together to take the pressure off the bones next to it. When one bone goes it will start to affect the structure and health of the surrounding bones. Stress fractures of the foot are notoriously difficult to heal. Your daughter desperately needs to follow her doctor's recommendations and see a PT in order to take care of this or she may suffer from foot pain for the rest of her life. Probably not in issue in her mid 20s. But by her mid 70s it could be an issue leading to more frequent falls.

We all like to think about what our kid will miss out on in the upcoming season. But think more about what your kid could miss out on in her more distant future.

Also no one should compete while ill. Its dangerous for her and unfair to her coaches and competitors.

Take her back to a doc and really listen to his or her advice.

 

[skschlag]

I fractured my sesamoid bone. I went 2 years before it finally got diagnosed. It was very painful. I was in a boot for over 6 months to heal it, and it healed completely. My sister had the same thing. Neither are gymnasts, our podiatrist said it is often genetic.

 

[curlygirls]

My daughter has a small fracture of the sesamoid bone. Her doctor has her on crutches (completely non-weight bearing) for a minimum of 6 weeks (could be longer depending on how x-rays look). That will be followed by 12 weeks in a boot, and a very slow reintroduction of activity. This is a very slow healing injury, with a risk of developing chronic pain. I know it’s not the answer you’re looking for, but you have to give it time to rest completely and heal.

 

[Flipfloppy]

There are two ways to heal a fractured sesamoid bone: rest for a significant period of time, or surgery followed by rest for a significant period of time.

Risks for continuing to engage in gymnastics on a fractured sesamoid bone include lifelong chronic pain, potentially leading to the need to remove the fractured bone (which makes the other one extremely prone to arthritis); altered biomechanics leading to additional injuries; and a lifelong inability to run or stand without pain.

 

[txgymfan]

My DD got a stress fracture in her sesamoid bone.....Quitting/taking season off is NOT an option......Again, she does not want to take season off.

Your daughter has an injury that could lead to lifelong pain and problems. I can’t think of any reason a child gymnast could not take a season off or quit to heal. True, she may not make her the team for a private high school. I simply don’t understand how taking time to heal is not possible. Your last sentence says it all. She does not want to take a season off. We all have to do things we don’t want to do but her health is more important than her desires.

 

[FlippinPrincess]

My DD got a stress fracture in her sesamoid bone, which is one of the bones in the ball of the foot, padding on bottom of foot by the big toe. She developed it from preparing for states. Dr had her in a boot for 4 months, trying to heal...he said it was a 50/50 chance healing because a ligament runs right over it...every time foot bends, puts stress/pull on it. She rested and healed. Went back to summer training and it came back. She’s about 6-8 weeks with pain again. Dr said it’s not full blown but starting again. He prescribed an arthritic cream which was denied first by insurance because she didn’t meet age/medical use. Anyway, she is just getting back into training getting ready for competition season. In pain-we ice, medicate with anti-inflammatory and “try” to limit pounding on foot which is near impossible. Quitting/taking season off is NOT an option. She is looking for private high schools to compete/enroll/attend.
As it is, she lots some skills that she could only do on her team and she’s struggling to get back. We actually compete in JOGA, Jersey Optional Gymnastic. She was the only girl on her level/age, attempt and land a double back handspring on beam. (She actually had flu and 102 degree fever, took a wobble on a small turn before dismount because dizzy from fever, and fell off beam but still took 3rd)
Anyway, the 4 months out, in boot, hurt her skills. She can’t even do one backhand spring on beam, vault is messy, etc. She doesn’t want to lose anything again...competition season starts soon.
This MUST be a common injury for gymnasts? What can I do to pad, brace or give relief. Again, she does not want to take season off. Dr refuses to give cortisone injections. She said she’s willing to train/compete with pain...but it is affecting her skills. Can anyone recommend any treatment or braces or tape/support so she doesn’t constantly hurt? Thanks so much!

We can not give medical advice on here. She has a fracture and needs to follow the medical advice of her doctor. She needs to allow her injury to heal.

She also shouldn't be doing gymnastics with 102 degree fever and feeling dizzy. It doesn't matter how she placed, she was dizzy and fell off the beam. She could have really gotten

 

[flippin out]

I just can’t even...is this serious? You are bragging about allowing your kid to compete with a high fever (and I’m with the poster that is thankful it was not at any meet I was at), and asking posters here to give you validation for allowing your kid to compete on a serious fracture for an entire season. I’m sure your dr mention that the bone could become necrotic if not allowed to heal properly.

Listen to her DR, the end