WAG What is the norm for payments during time off due to injury?

[sfts]

It sounds like my gym is somewhere in the middle. With a doctor's note, it is half tuition for conditioning or limited training one or two events (e.g. dance on beam/floor for someone with an injured wrist) if an injury will cause restrictions for more than a month. Less than a month off, and you pay the full monthly tuition.

 

[GymBee97]

Most of the gyms I've know you pay full price as you are paying for the spot for the year (think annual tuition like a private school). They break that annual tuition down into monthly payments to make it easier. Now some gyms if you talk to the owners may give you a discount on the fee so long as she isn't in attendance but that isn't the norm. Most injured kids still go to the gym even if its only for an hour.

When my DD had the stay out of the gym it really means no gymnastics but our PT gave DD a "do at home - 1 hour" sheet so when she went to the gym she did the PT at home conditioning. When done she actually helped by giving critiques on moves etc. You know like your split wasn't at 180 or your leg was bent in the back. At our gym the girls always do this for each other and no one feels bad because someone is helping them.

Being at the gym with the team for these girls is also part of being on the team - it helps them bond as a team.

 

[flips123]

I was out for 9 months and payed partial tuition when I could come in to condition (I was bedridden for a week or 2 and then I was barely able to function with the pain meds so conditioning was not a good idea). At my previous gym I came into condition during a 3 month injury and there was no charge.

 

[gymmomtoo]

Full payment here too and injured girls keep going to practice--strange for me to agree with coachp on this.

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

I suspect our gym is just as coachp says. I've seen girls doing days of bars while dealing with injured ankles, toes, etc. they come every day while injured and ramp up their hours over time. As another poster said, no one is out more than a couple of days regardless of the injury.

 

[shelovestoflip]

Sometimes a disability can be a blessing- my daughter's adhd etc qualifies her in our state to receive medical assistance. So her secondary insurance, a medicaid based plan, covers whatever her primary insurance does not, meaning we pay zero copays provided the primary doc provides a referral for the service, and the provider is in network. Yay adhd!! My kids see many doctors quite often so it has been a real blessing having that coverage. It's based on diagnosis, not income.

Wow! What state do you live in?! I've never heard of ADHD qualifying for medical assistance! You're lucky!

 

[shelovestoflip]

My daughter has had two injuries. One had her out completely for 2 weeks and then she was back conditioning for a month....no tuition break.

Second injury had her out completely for a month...for that they gave me a 50% tuition reduction for that month.

But they really want the girls in the gym if only to condition so even if they are only there for an hour, we pay.

 

[Amusibus]

Just to reiterate, her doctor's note specifically says NO GYM AT ALL for two weeks. I'd be happy to bring her in to condition, and I understand the benefit. So please, stop telling me I need to be bringing her in. Would all of you be going against what your doctors told you to do??

Shelovestoflip, I live in PA. Benefits are good here!

 

[CanAmGymMum]

At our gym, we would be expected to pay full tuition, whether she's there to condition or not. As far as coming in to condition, she's a 7 year old level 1, she doesn't need to be there! If she were older and more experienced, I would expect her to come in and be independent enough to get through an appropriate conditioning program.

 

[GymBee97]

Amusibus no one is trying to upset you by suggesting she go in, do gymnastics full force and not follow Dr's orders.

Many of us have been in this team gymnastic thing for many years. We have lots of experience with injuries. I know for me between my son and daughter I have sat in those bleachers for over 16 years now. Both my kids got the "NO GYM" orders many times from the Dr for one injury or another and it usually means no gymnastic skills to be done, no tumbling, no vaulting etc.

When a Dr gives the NO GYM order I always ask what about conditioning and usually they are ok with stretching type (no or low impact). I always remind the DR my kids are a competitive gymnast and we want them to be safe but want a plan that gets them back to the gym sooner rather than later. I am fortunate that my kids DR is a former competitive gymnast, our Ortho dr has 2 girls on a competitive team so they know what it means to be a gymnast and knows what it means to do nothing for weeks and they usually are more aggressive with the recovery plan but still be safe.

So do I go against DR order No, but I do question the orders for limitations, prescriptions, tests, etc. all the time and ask for a more aggressive plan or if I don't agree with the treatment or what ever, will go for a second opinion with a specialist.

As I said before when my DD had her back injury her PT gave her exercises she could do at the gym with the equipment they had and she would do those instead of the gymnastics so she could still see her gym friends on the team and be with the team. I know for my daughter not being at the gym is like a punishment.

 

[skschlag]

We did the same thing as GymBee97. D's PT and doc said no gym, but they meant no gymnastics. He woudl go and do his PT, a little tramp (it was a shoulder injury), and the lower extremity stretching. He got to hang out with his friends, and still do conditioning. When he got done, we would leave. Ad he improved, he got to add things as he could. The Doc and PT gave him guidelines on when to stop, and when to keep going, and it worked well. Best of all, he got to be there, and didn't get as down about missing gym.

 

[cbifoja]

I believe we go to 50% tuition if the injury keeps the kid from the gym for longer than a month. Anything shorter and you're expected to pay full tuition.

I agree with the poster who said that coach salaries, utility bills, and building leases don't go away just because a kid is injured. I think that it is fair to have to pay 100%. The 50% gyms are VERY generous in my opinion.

 

[my4buffaloes]

I think at our gym if you are out completely for a month or more you will get a break. Anything less and you pay full price. My dd was limited to conditioning for a month and we paid full price.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Normally full payment. She has a place on team, coaches need to be paid.

this ^^^

 

[bookworm]

When my daughter had surgery for one of her injuries, the doctor specifically said "no gym, and that includes no conditioning...I don't want her near the gym AT ALL for 6-9 months" ...I talked to the coach who said that he would want her in there conditioning because "you don't HAVE to listen to the doctor" or he said I could pull her completely for that time , and not pay the tuition, so I pulled her, she stayed out the 6 months (but did the doctor supervised PT) and went back to the gym when she was physically ready to be there...and she did well and continues to do so ...and I'd do the same again..

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Just to reiterate, her doctor's note specifically says NO GYM AT ALL for two weeks. I'd be happy to bring her in to condition, and I understand the benefit. So please, stop telling me I need to be bringing her in. Would all of you be going against what your doctors told you to do??

Shelovestoflip, I live in PA. Benefits are good here!

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yes I would go against doctors orders and have her spend at least an hour a day doing flexibility with her team.

 

[bookworm]

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yes I would go against doctors orders and have her spend at least an hour a day doing flexibility with her team.

And this is why I pulled my daughter completely from the gym after her injury because her coach had this same philosophy , and he is not an MD either...my daughter was the only one of the many who had this injury in her gym who didn't have further issues because they came back too quick...I'm sorry but I think it is wrong to even suggest to a parent that they "go against doctor's orders" when injury is concerned...

 

[gymdog]

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yes I would go against doctors orders and have her spend at least an hour a day doing flexibility with her team.

She's a level 1, so I doubt she goes an hour a day we don't have the equivalent of level 1 skills on our team. Level 1 is rec classes, level 2 skills can be in an advanced invitation only class but it's still a class and follows class tuition rules, closings, etc. So I guess I don't know what we would do in this circumstance. Obviously team comes in, but team is level 3 and up.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

And this is why I pulled my daughter completely from the gym after her injury because her coach had this same philosophy , and he is not an MD either...my daughter was the only one of the many who had this injury in her gym who didn't have further issues because they came back too quick...I'm sorry but I think it is wrong to even suggest to a parent that they "go against doctor's orders" when injury is concerned...

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As with anything in life opinions vary,
Some Doctors tell parents to keep kids out of the gym entirely whenever they get any type of injury, because they are covering themselves from any type of legal action that could be brought upon them. Very few injuries should require a child to stay out of the gym for longer than a few weeks. Spinal/brain injuries or severe hip joint (broken hip or femur) injuries are really the only injuries I can think of that a child should remain at home to heal for longer than a few weeks. Other than that, no harm in going in and interacting with the team, doing flexibility and possibly some strength. I think it would be wrong to tell a child to return to the sport in full against doctors orders, yes. When an upper level gymnast is sitting out for a long duration it is very hard to reattain skills, when an upper level gymnast is out at home for a long duration it is very hard to get them back into the gym and even harder to attain skills back. Believe it or not kids often learn and pick up things while sitting and watching, while injured. The visual aid, along with hearing the coach is very beneficial. Rehab isn't just about the injury when it comes to gymnastics, it's about the mind while attempting to return to the sport... I believe in giving a child every opportunity to gain an advantage when it comes to returning to the sport they love. Sitting at home when they could be watching is not an advantage. That being said, apparently I missed the fact that this is a level 1 gymnast, so in this instance we would request a tuition break (or set up make ups) because like Gymdog said, it's team, but on the rec level.

 

[gymdog]

The visual aid, along with hearing the coach is very beneficial. Rehab isn't just about the injury when it comes to gymnastics, it's about the mind while attempting to return to the sport... I believe in giving a child every opportunity to gain an advantage when it comes to returning to the sport they love. Sitting at home when they could be watching is not an advantage. That being said, apparently I missed the fact that this is a level 1 gymnast, so in this instance we would request a tuition break (or set up make ups) because like Gymdog said, it's team, but on the rec level.

I definitely agree with this and think that visual learning is often overlooked. If I recall, this gym does compete level 1 so if they're still competing and you do have to pay it may be worth it for her to watch just to remember the routines, etc. I do teach some mini development type groups and I've done this a couple times when kids have been injured...they will be less lost when they come back. They don't compete but there are still many sequences and technical things they are learning. Just make sure the coach knows that you are sending daughter just to watch - the coach will be relieved anyway since it's hard to plan alternate activities at this level since there's not much they can do independently.

So if I taught competitive level 1 I guess I would be willing to do that...but it just doesn't come up here. In the class I described (advanced team development) they do usually get a refund and not come because there's no way to make it up (no other group). In total rec classes they usually make it up with other similar groups because we have tons of classes.