Parents Flexibility and why you should listen to your instincts

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xrachx

Coach
Proud Parent
I've got the perfect example of trusting your parental instincts, and also kicking myself for waiting so long.

DD is an incredibly strong gymnast, but her lack of flexibility lets her down as she just can't stay straight and tight (we've been told this by multiple coaches over the years). She's always conditioned at home and there have been improvements, but it's still fairly prominent compared to the rest of her team. Strangely enough as well, we have hypermobility in the family and DD shows some signs of it (wrists/hands especially), so it always nagged me that she was struggling so much.


So I finally had a chat to a family friend whose a sports therapist and DD went to see her today. She confirmed that DD has incredibly tight muscles on her left side, so she's been twisting to compensate which causes her to bend her arms/knees.

After just one session, DD now has full rotation in her left shoulder for the first time! The expectation is that when she has her next appointment in a couple of weeks, that she'll have gained even more flexibility as everything loosens up with the daily exercises she has been given.


So, moral of the story, trust your instincts if you think something is up! Just have to not beat myself up for not getting her looked at sooner, as who knows where she would be now....
 
I've got the perfect example of trusting your parental instincts, and also kicking myself for waiting so long.

DD is an incredibly strong gymnast, but her lack of flexibility lets her down as she just can't stay straight and tight (we've been told this by multiple coaches over the years). She's always conditioned at home and there have been improvements, but it's still fairly prominent compared to the rest of her team. Strangely enough as well, we have hypermobility in the family and DD shows some signs of it (wrists/hands especially), so it always nagged me that she was struggling so much.


So I finally had a chat to a family friend whose a sports therapist and DD went to see her today. She confirmed that DD has incredibly tight muscles on her left side, so she's been twisting to compensate which causes her to bend her arms/knees.

After just one session, DD now has full rotation in her left shoulder for the first time! The expectation is that when she has her next appointment in a couple of weeks, that she'll have gained even more flexibility as everything loosens up with the daily exercises she has been given.


So, moral of the story, trust your instincts if you think something is up! Just have to not beat myself up for not getting her looked at sooner, as who knows where she would be now....
That is really good to hear!
 
is it like a chiropractor? my daughter has bad flexibility in her shoulders- where do you find a sports therapist?
 
is it like a chiropractor? my daughter has bad flexibility in her shoulders- where do you find a sports therapist?


Not really like a chiropractor no, she specialises in sports injuries and rehabilitation. She does use manipulation and massage, but it's more stretches and exercises to get people back to full fitness. She did say to me she could make no promises, that it may be that DD is flexible, but not gym flexible, but she'd see what she could do.

She was recommended by my mother in law, but she primarily works at a tennis club, so might be worth asking some local sports clubs if they can recommend anyone?
 
This is interesting to me because i know a young gymnast, 7 and she has some pretty high level skills but has trouble keeping her arms straight. She also can't do some beginner things like bridge up, coach has always said its a shoulder flexibility issue and just keep stretching but doesn't give mom any stretches that would help? I'm going to suggest this to her mom! Thank you and i hope your daughter continues to improve:)
 

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