WAG Odd question re:back tumbling vs. front tumbling

[l.c.o]

Does back tumbling affect your back more than front tumbling?

On Monday, my DD did a robhsbt and over-rotated it. She apparently managed to still land it on her feet, but reportedly tweaked her mid-back.

She's been complaining on and off about pain, to varying degrees.

The next day, we knew her group doesn't practice floor on Tuesdays, so after discussion, DD decided to try practice. Since DS ends practice an hour before DD, DH watched the last hour of practice. He said she looked great and didn't seem to be in any pain (lots of giggling, no grimacing).

On Wednesday, I watched the last 30 min of practice and they were on floor doing front tumbling, including FHS-FT, FHS-pike. More of the same - smiling, happy, didn't seem to be in any pain. She was volunteering to try drills first. Saw me as she was exiting and immediately looks to be in pain.

Yesterday, they worked back tumbling and after one ro-BHS, she said she was in pain and refused to try anything but standing tucks for the rest of practice.

I guess I'm worried about two things: what if her back is worse than we thought? And what if yesterday was fear-based?

She's supposed to compete a ro-bhs-bt for cheer tomorrow. And that's only on a foam pad, not even a spring floor! So, I'm nervous.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Back tumbling does not nessesarily affect the gymnast's back too differently to front tumbling. Both the back handspring and the front handspring have a similar arch. The front handspring can cause pain in a sore back in the rebound phase.

I suggest that you see a physio. There are any number of things that can cause back pain. Some are not such a big deal, like a slightly pinched nerve which may go away on its own. Others are more sinister like a stress fracture in the spine, which she may be making worse. It's best not to make guesses but go and have it seen to early on.

 

[sce]

She should stop tumbling and landings until her back gets checked out.

 

[l.c.o]

Thanks to both of you!

The only day DD really tumbled this week was Wednesday (tucks were on to 4" mat), and she'd been claiming her back felt fine. Thankfully, it's the off-season so most everything (bars, vault, etc) is being done into a pit.

She competed cheer yesterday and did her tumbling pass twice (once in warmups, once in competition, against my request), but claimed it felt ok, then hurt a bit later, then felt better. The only bright side to this is now I know it's truly pain and not fear.

We had a long chat about the importance of listening, and to be honest about the level of pain she's experiencing. This is so tough for me as while I truly think that she's honestly experiencing pain, she DEFINITELY tends to down-play or exaggerate it to suit (for example, it'll "feel ok" to tumble on, but then it "hurts" when asked to help with dishes), so it's sometimes hard to tell, and likely why X-rays will be the only way to really know.

Today she says the pain feels like a "one". So, we'll definitely keep after it and ask that she doesn't tumble/land at practice for the interim. She's mostly using heat on it as she says it feels like it helps most. If it lingers more than another couple of days or worsens, we'll definitely take her in to visit the doc or call the gym's sports med guy. Tomorrow we have a funeral to attend, so maybe we'll evaluate again Tuesday morning.

I have a cousin who fractured his back playing football in high school and continued to walk around/practice that way for a couple of weeks, so I do know that sometimes more serious spinal injuries can seem minor.

 

[shelovestoflip]

Personally I'd take her to a sports dr. Been down the back injury route. Better safe than sorry.