concerned mother

Ani de Alba · 09-06-2008, 08:04 AM

THE HARDER YOU WORK, THE HARDER IT IS TO SURRENDER!

That's what I've been telling my 11 year old daughter for the past 8 years of her gymnastic life. Now it's in question I think the time has come to quit (surrender) and what about all the hard work?

I am a mother from Spain who went to school in the U.S. and is living in Monterrey Mexico, I know it sounds crazy. My daughter is a level 3 here in Mexico (If anyone can please tell me what level this is in the U.S. and why it differs?). It's very competitive here like I'm sure it is in other countries at this level, and of course like everyone knows many long hours with many injuries. She's had a numerous about of fractures/sprains and have always been aware it's a sport with many injuries but how many is too many? We've had all sorts of tests done on her to make sure it's not a bone density problem and she's come out above normal. Maybe in other gyms this is quite normal but in our gym my daughter is the one who's always injured. Her trainers of course don't want to let her go but I'm really concerned about this.

gymgirl_60 · 09-06-2008, 09:32 AM

hi! i am also a gymnast, and i have never broken or sprained anythig, and i have done gymnastics 10 years.. i have hurt my heels before and hyperextended my knees a few times also, but thats about it. the point is, some people get hurt more than others. in order to avoid injuries, your daughter can do extra conditioning at home, stay tight, and make sure she knows the safest ways to fall. it is not uncommon for there to be one person who gets hurt more than others. i am always falling off beam and just in general but i know the safest way to fall. i am not saying your daughter doesnt, but that may be part of the problem. what does she tend to hurt the most? if you tell me i may be able to help you some more. hope this helps! and welcome to the chalkbucket!

TheNextNadia · 09-06-2008, 07:24 PM

I'm a level 4 gymnast (so you already know that, compared to Shawn and Nastia, I'm not doing anything to amazing) and just this morning at practice I injured my neck. I went to the doctor, and he told me to come back soon. There's nothing seriously wrong, but I can't turn it very much without it hurting.
And there isn't a "too much" in gymnastics. There will be injuries. It's part of the sport. Look at any video on youtube of any gymnast--they all have wraps or braces. It's just going to happen, and if you're not one for injuries then you might as well just make your daughter quit now.

gymmomntc2e6 · 09-07-2008, 06:33 AM

Is she re-injuring the same body parts? if so, perhaps that area needs additional strengthening. We have a girl in our gym who has very week ankles. She is always rolling them and ending up with sprains. Just over a week ago they were doing their warm-ups, all of the girls were doing straddle jumps. Somehow her ankles hit each other when bringing her legs together and she came down and rolled both - one severe sprain and one mild sprain.

She has never injured herself throwing tricks - it is always doing something where you would not expect it.

anyway, my DD has weak ankles as well and we have gotten some excersizes to strengthen them as we do not want to have the same problem.

I think if gymnastics is the sport she loves you just need to help her find a way to do it as safely as possible. See if there are underlying causes to her injuries that you can do something about.

Ani de Alba · 09-07-2008, 11:12 PM

This last fracture was her radio (I'm not really sure if that's how you say it in english but it's the bone b/w your elbow and wrist).
She fractured her arm doing an extremely easy exercise a flipflop something sh's been doing for many years.

09-08-2008, 03:45 AM

The two main causes of injuries, are lack of conditioning and lack of flexibility, are you sure the coaches arent moving her onto skills she is not strong/flexible enough to cope with?

Ani de Alba · 09-08-2008, 08:52 AM

Thanks for your concern. This last fracture might have been because of lack of flexibility like you mentioned, she is very thin (petite) but real strong. She had been away from the gym 5 weeks, and had just returned on monday this happened on thursday. Lots of conditioning had been done this particular day she had been there for over 4 hours, she's mentioned she was not that tired and she really listens to to her body. In 2007 she went to nationals and came back with a gold and a bronze I mention this because pressure might have been put on her, her coaches had not wanted her leave for so long but my husband I decided it would be good for her to go on vacation w/grandparents.
She had never been away for more than 2 consect. days. Her coaches insist every fracture (4) has been because of lack of concentration I resist to believe this I can't keep listening to this over and over.

KBT · 09-08-2008, 12:23 PM

The motto at WOGA (the club where Nastia Luikin and Carly Patterson trained) is "Hard work never disappears". If your daughter does decide to quit, her gymnastics training will still be with her for the rest of her life. The strength and flexibility she's gained will help her stay fit and be successful in any sport. The time management, ability to control her mind and stay focused, and how to work hard to achieve a goal will be skills that help her in anything she does in life. If she does decide to hang up her grips, these eight years of gymnasts will not have been a waste.

Livinatthegym · 09-08-2008, 01:35 PM

I have to agree with KBT. No matter what happens, you did not waste your time in the gym. My oldest daughter left last April. She is now coaching. She decided to try out for the high school diving team. Two weeks later, she was selected to dive varisty ahead of some of the upper classmen. The conditioning, especially, is very transferrable to other sports.

I also agree that you have every right to be concerned. My oldest fell and got hurt (so, not a conditioning issue, not a coaching issue, sometimes everybody just falls). The result of that fall has been pain that didn't go away when gymnastics ended for her. Gymnastics is wonderful, but is it worth the price for your dd who gets injured a lot?

Ani de Alba · 09:56 PM

KBT AND LIVINATTHEGYM Thanks for your support it helps and heals, your advice was what I needed to hear. I also believe she has gained the same qualities you mentioned she has full control of every thought that crosses her mind, it's hard to believe an 11 year old can do this, her level of concentration is what amazes me she applies it to her every day life, she can actually do her homework with lights out, music playing, sister talking next to her on the phone and has never missed the honor roll. This really was the best school. I spoke to a track and field coach earlier today and said we can't do much until her cast comes off. this sport just doesn't seem as exciting as gymnastics did. I'm afraid to see me dd at home taking a nap after school.