Women Training while not weight-bearing on foot

[kimute]

Hi there,
I posted earlier that my DD fractured the third metatarsal of her foot. Dr. said no gym for two weeks as the bone is in four pieces and needs to be treated delicately to come back together.

After that, she'll go back and do what she can safely do. Trick is she can not weight bear on her right foot for six weeks. It is in a boot, but if she puts that foot down we risk restarting the clock. Has anyone sent their child to gym in a non weight-bearing boot or cast? What could they do? How did it go?

Thanks!

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I have NOT but we have had a couple of girls in DDs training group with that. It isn’t easy to find a lot of regular training they can do, so it’s mostly conditioning for quite a while. Pit bar (strap) is probably the most “real” training they get in and they still have to be careful. It can be done, and it is important for them to be in the gym with their teammates.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Lots of conditioning and body shaping work.

Splits and flexibility work.

Strap bar work.

Regular bar would without dismounts or squat ons/sole circles etc.

Handstand and presses.

Twisting drills on trampoline - front to back etc no feet.

 

[ascarter1]

My dd broke her 1st metatarsal, and growth plate...complete break, narrowly avoided surgery. She was non weight bearing for almost 8 weeks, and in a boot for 10+ weeks. She went to the gym everyday. She conditioned a lot and eventually moved to strap bar. Make sure your dd wears a tennis shoe on her good foot with an ankle weight on it. My dd did this but was still way out of alignment when she got out of the boot. We had to visit the chiropractor. Also, be prepared for a weak ankle, and pt. We did pt for 6+ weeks in office and then continued at home. 1 year later, she still wears an ankle brace. It’s was as difficult mentally as physically for my dd. We still attended every meet but we basically missed the entire season minus one meet. She was still able to move from lv 8 to lv 9, but she had to work her tail off. Have her stay connected in the gym as much as possible. Best wishes to quick healing of the toe, and a healthy mindset!

 

[Aussie_coach]

So much will come down to the coach. Some coaches will continue to ensure the injured gymnast still feels like an important part of the team. They will take care with lesson plans and work out individual programs, they will use the injury as a chance to focus on other certain areas and in many ways they gymnast may come back even stronger than ever.

Other coaches won’t, they may be concerned of the risk of reinjury in the gym or not want to put the extra time into designing individual programs.

 

[ascarter1]

So much will come down to the coach. Some coaches will continue to ensure the injured gymnast still feels like an important part of the team. They will take care with lesson plans and work out individual programs, they will use the injury as a chance to focus on other certain areas and in many ways they gymnast may come back even stronger than ever.

Other coaches won’t, they may be concerned of the risk of reinjury in the gym or not want to put the extra time into designing individual programs.

So true!! Our gym was incredibly supportive of my dd. During competitions, they had her out in the floor with the team! They always had a rotating conditioning list to keep her in the best shape possible! We were blessed, for sure!

 

[flippin out]

Mine went, but did conditioning only (core, shaping and upper body) for first 4 weeks.

. After that Dr gave ok to be on strap bar and to do spotted elements. Spotted everything (including Kips!). No releases, no taking any chance that she could come down on it. So if they spotted her a giant full, coach put her up and took her back down off bar.

Also took her to swim laps so she could work some cardio safely. She could do laps in the pool as long as she used a pool bouy to keep legs locked and back end afloat. She was not allowed to use legs doing laps because Any movement of foot would possibly set her back.

It has been an extremely slow process but worth the time to heal right.

 

[gymgal]

dd was non weight bearing (NWB) for almost 8 weeks for a fracture at the top of her tibia. She took a week off of gym and then was back in there conditioning. I believe she began strap bar at one point while NWB and some low bar work toward the end of the NWB period - only skills she could safely land on one foot if she fell. She's a L10 and we are talking only kips, CHS, etc. All were fully spotted as well. Everything else was core, arm, and upper leg conditioning: leg lifts, handstand holds/walks, lots of push-ups (one leg), sit-ups, v ups, chin ups, etc. She was SO sick of conditioning by the end. She also swam a couple times a week b/c it was the only cardio she could do. She was in PT for 7 months to strengthen the leg and get back ROM, while gradually adding back her skills. It was a long road back. Long term NWB really sucks but it is important to take it slowly, not rush coming back too fast. dd's coaches were great and they allowed the PT to take the lead, creating lists for dd to do at the gym.

 

[LJL07]

Yep! I just messaged you. My daughter went in the cast because she continued to weight bear even in the boot and it was not healing. We had a whole conditioning list. I would be happy to send it to you. She went reduced hours mon-friday the whole time. Lots of bars and strap bars.

 

[LJL07]

dd was non weight bearing (NWB) for almost 8 weeks for a fracture at the top of her tibia. She took a week off of gym and then was back in there conditioning. I believe she began strap bar at one point while NWB and some low bar work toward the end of the NWB period - only skills she could safely land on one foot if she fell. She's a L10 and we are talking only kips, CHS, etc. All were fully spotted as well. Everything else was core, arm, and upper leg conditioning: leg lifts, handstand holds/walks, lots of push-ups (one leg), sit-ups, v ups, chin ups, etc. She was SO sick of conditioning by the end. She also swam a couple times a week b/c it was the only cardio she could do. She was in PT for 7 months to strengthen the leg and get back ROM, while gradually adding back her skills. It was a long road back. Long term NWB really sucks but it is important to take it slowly, not rush coming back too fast. dd's coaches were great and they allowed the PT to take the lead, creating lists for dd to do at the gym.

Thank you so much for this post. My daughter like the OP's had all her level 8 skills and then had bone edema/grade 3 stress reactions in three foot bones with minimal involvement of the navicular. She was casted and NWB for 8 weeks. This has been a beast to recover from. It has been very discouraging! She is still in PT too. She really cannot run properly yet--her gait is still off, so yurchenkos are out of the question. I am glad to hear that this is sort of normal. We were beginning to wonder if she is not pushing herself hard enough. Sorry for the hijack!

 

[gymgal]

Thank you so much for this post. My daughter like the OP's had all her level 8 skills and then had bone edema/grade 3 stress reactions in three foot bones with minimal involvement of the navicular. She was casted and NWB for 8 weeks. This has been a beast to recover from. It has been very discouraging! She is still in PT too. She really cannot run properly yet--her gait is still off, so yurchenkos are out of the question. I am glad to hear that this is sort of normal. We were beginning to wonder if she is not pushing herself hard enough. Sorry for the hijack!

dd's PT stressed that dd needed to come back slowly from this - not for risk of the fracture as that healed very well, but for all the muscle mass she lost in her leg for NWB so long. dd was injured just before summer training and it took the better part of 15 months to get back all her skills, from time of injury. Now, there was a comp season in the middle of that so for several months she was focusing on just getting basic routines together for bars/beam to compete. If she just trained without competing, she likely would have gotten her skills back faster. But yes, she lost a whole year essentially. Mental was just as difficult as physical to get back too.

 

[ascarter1]

dd's PT stressed that dd needed to come back slowly from this - not for risk of the fracture as that healed very well, but for all the muscle mass she lost in her leg for NWB so long. dd was injured just before summer training and it took the better part of 15 months to get back all her skills, from time of injury. Now, there was a comp season in the middle of that so for several months she was focusing on just getting basic routines together for bars/beam to compete. If she just trained without competing, she likely would have gotten her skills back faster. But yes, she lost a whole year essentially. Mental was just as difficult as physical to get back too.

Yes!!! My DD’s leg was so much smaller just after 8 weeks! It does take time!

 

[LJL07]

dd's PT stressed that dd needed to come back slowly from this - not for risk of the fracture as that healed very well, but for all the muscle mass she lost in her leg for NWB so long. dd was injured just before summer training and it took the better part of 15 months to get back all her skills, from time of injury. Now, there was a comp season in the middle of that so for several months she was focusing on just getting basic routines together for bars/beam to compete. If she just trained without competing, she likely would have gotten her skills back faster. But yes, she lost a whole year essentially. Mental was just as difficult as physical to get back too.

Oh absolutely! Her calf atrophied down to nothing. I think that is a bigger problem than the foot at this point. Punching and running and even going up on her toes are barely do-able yet. I saw @ascarter1 mentioned about the chiropractor, and I figure that might be something we should consider too. My daughter isn't going to compete and will just train. I could see her maaayyybe getting a timer ready but not the full vault.

 

[ascarter1]

Oh absolutely! Her calf atrophied down to nothing. I think that is a bigger problem than the foot at this point. Punching and running and even going up on her toes are barely do-able yet. I saw @ascarter1 mentioned about the chiropractor, and I figure that might be something we should consider too. My daughter isn't going to compete and will just train. I could see her maaayyybe getting a timer ready but not the full vault.

It was crazy to see how out of alignment her hips were. Like, by 2 inches or more. I noticed it when she was tumbling on beam! She kept falling off to the same side every time. The chiropractor took pictures to show how bad it was. My dd felt an immediate difference. I don’t think she realized how wonkie she was.

 

[CoachAlex]

IF her doc clears her to go to the gym to do NWB conditioning then I would speak to her coaches to find out how long she should come in, etc. Also make it clear that she cannot put weight on her foot even with the boot on. I would also stress to your daughter and coaches that she can’t take the boot off at the gym.

As soon as her doc clears her for any type of PT, I would find a good PT and start as soon as possible. I was in a boot recently - allowed to bear weight - and still lost a ridiculous amount of strength in that foot/ankle.

It’s also important for her to know (because gymnasts are stubborn) that getting injured is part of being an athlete, and pretty much every athlete at some point gets injured and has to learn how to handle the healing and recovery process. It can be frustrating. It can make you angry. That’s ok. She needs to listen to the doctors/PTs/etc because it’s their job to help her get better, and if she listens to them this will heal and she can move on with gymnastics.

Good luck!

 

[kecks]

wet west and daily aqua training (jogging, skipping, there is lots of stuff out there), starting with no floor contact in deep water, moving to the shalow end of the pool more and more each day.

also isometric and hanging (athlete hanging form bar) strength work for the injured leg.

 

[merritt]

My D had a 5th metatarsal fracture and was in a boot with crutches. Her doctor said upper body conditioning was okay, but absolutely no weight bearing for the first 4 weeks. Not even bar work - she did not want her to risk coming down on it accidentally and setting her back further.

Yes, this made her recovery more difficult once she could weight beat, but it just wasn’t worth the risk of a potential setback, which would have led to even more time off it.

 

[kimute]

Thank you all for the great input! At almost 3 weeks post injury, one Dr. has cleared DD to slowly and gradually weight bear. Seems early to me but I guess the second metatarsal is a lesser injury than first or fifth. We are waiting until Monday which will be 3 weeks.

She started back at gym today after a two week break (one self imposed, one gym vacation) and came home happy so I'm happy. I don't think she'll add too much too soon but she seems in better spirits after moving her body!

 

[gymgal]

great news. tell her "gradually" is the key word.