Parents Return after injury...

[Mommyo2az]

My DD broke her elbow (well, Radial head) at the end of January and is now cleared to start tumbling again. She has been doing PT and lots of leg work for the past weeks. I know she is "ready" to come back, but has said that she is scared, scared about everything. We think she hurt her elbow with a fall off beam - so she has already sworn never to do beam again. She is also sad about what she says is "falling behind" her peer group. She is going to try to put together some routines and compete at Regionals (level 8) in a month. I am no pressure about this - I don't care either way! Her coach is not one to modify routines and let her take the easy route, so I am not quite sure how this will go at all.

I just want my happy, confident gymnast back. What can I do to help her through this process? I am already having her work with a sports psychologist - but she says it makes her sad because she has to talk about all the scary and sad things.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I know she is "ready" to come back,

I am no pressure about this - I don't care either way!

I just want my happy, confident gymnast back. What can I do to help her through this process? I am already having her work with a sports psychologist - but she says it makes her sad because she has to talk about all the scary and sad things.

I don't think she is ready to come back.

And I am not so sure you are no pressure don't care either way

Because if you truly are no pressure don't care either way, why is she seeing a sports psychologist.

And why does she need to compete at Regionals in month. Why not put the season in the past and move on.

And why do you want your happy confident gymnast back.

Why not just a happy confident girl.

Maybe she needs a break so she can decide what she truly wants to do.

And will be happy and confident in another sport/activity.

Because happy and confident is what matters, right?

Perhaps a therapist that is not invested in the sport aspect, just the happy and confident aspect. Just managing sad and scary without a focus on gymnastics.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

For the record, my kid is a turtle on a good day. Got injured in Sept. She is still not doing all the skills she mostly had in August. Getting there but the turtle is being a snail.

Yes she is physically healed. She is physically ready
Mental healing takes longer. Mentally she is not ready.

Her coach and us parents get that.

Fortunately she has coaches who know rushing her before she is ready will delay her mental healing. Or drive her out altogether.

And as her parent if she came to and said, "Mom, I just can't, I don't want to." I'd look at her and go 'Its OK you can be done. I love you no matter what. What would like to try next?"

 

[gymgal]

Does she want to continue with gymnastics? Does she want to go to regionals? Injuries like these are often the point where gymnasts decide to move on from the sport. The realization sets in on just how potentially dangerous the sport can be. It is not unusual to be very nervous about (and swear off) the skill where they were hurt, though usually not the entire event, like you dd. As for the psychologist, sounds like she is not ready to be dealing with it yet - or she may not be the type who would benefit from this. I know I would hate having to talk with a professional about my fears and perceived inadequacies. That would cause me more stress than the benefits I would get from it. When my d was hurt a few years ago and was scared to return for fear of reinjury, particularly on the event and skill, I offered a sports psych and she refused saying it wouldn't help her, that she needed to work it out herself and have time to do it - and she did, over the course of several months.


Personally, I would have a serious talk with her about whether going to regionals this year is worth the stress. Is she tumbling and vaulting yet? I would also talk with the coach about the modified routines if she is going to go for it and to get an idea of how it is going in practice based on what he/she is seeing.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Personally, I would have a serious talk with her about whether going to regionals this year is worth the stress. Is she tumbling and vaulting yet? I would also talk with the coach about the modified routines if she is going to go for it and to get an idea of how it is going in practice based on what he/she is seeing.

This is what we did with my daughter and states. She elected to just concentrate on gymnastics and not meets/scores.

 

[Mommyo2az]

Thanks all for the comments.
She was talking to sports psychologist prior to injury, so we just continued as to help with keeping a positive mindset. But I think perhaps she may be the type that is not going to benefit from it very much.

When asked, She says does want to continue with gymnastics, just at her speed. I am not dangling a regionals carrot in front of her, the coach thought it would be good to have a goal out there. Again, I don’t care either way, but she has said she would like to go and compete bars - since that is the event she is coming back quickly on. She just started tumbling in tumble track and no vault yet - so she knows those will come back slowly.

And yes at the end of the day - I want happy and confident kid back. Where ever the road leads her!

 

[Mommyo2az]

This is what we did with my daughter and states. She elected to just concentrate on gymnastics and not meets/scores.

I would like this as well. I think at the end of the day, this is what she will do. Other parents on the team have already offered to take her to regionals with them so she can be with her friends. She is just 12, the fear is missing out on the fun is strong!