Parents Scariest crash

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

F

flippymonkeysmom

Ok - I don't think I can watch my dd practice anymore!!! She has only had 2 big falls tumbling in all the years she has done gym and I was there watching for both. Last night they were just warming up back layouts b/c they are starting to learn fulls. Then on one of them, as she described it - she just kind of spazzed out. She got up really high, was upside down (seemed like she was floating there forever), then came down right on her neck. I actually screamed, everyone who was there gave one big collective gasp, her coach turned white, etc. She bounced right back up and said, "I'm ok, I'm ok" and actually started laughing- which she does sometimes when she gets freaked out. The thing she was most upset about was her tongue was bleeding b/c she bit in when she landed. She realized she was ok (I'm sure she will be very sore today though) and she went back and tumbled again. First just did back tucks, then layouts and then ended up doing layouts with 1/2 turn. She told me in the car that she was kind of scared doing them after that but knows that all gymnasts are going to get hurt sometimes and that if you let the fear in, it's all over. She is one tough kid. Of course I think it took a good 5 years off my life. Maybe that is why once kids hit optionals the parents watch practice less and less !!!
 
Your daughter sounds like quite a wise young girl. And I don't blame you a bit for not wanting to watch anymore!
 
Wow, that's very scary. I am glad that she's fine, hopefully she isn't too sure or too scared today. I love gym, but it can be a bit :eek::eek::eek: at times.
 
Hope your daughter is ok.I know what you are talking about.My daughter had a couple scarry crashes and I especially dislike watching beam and bars.Tumbled backwards when she was about 8 to do a layout into the pit with a mat and stopped at the last minute after the bhs.She had so much momentum going that she flew backwards onto her back and smacked her knees into her mouth.Well she bit her lips.I was afraid to sent her to school the next day because her face was bruised up and swollen thinking that the school probably call child protective services on me.
 
Thanks everyone. I think she recovered from it mentally a lot quicker than I will. Today she is in a lot of pain though. She can't really lift her left arm any higher than shoulder height and that side of her neck and back are really hurting. I ended up taking her to the doctor to play it safe - I don't like to take chances with the neck. The x-rays came back ok and the doctor said she pulled a muscle and will just have to wait it out. She went to practice for 3 hours this morning that was just ballet and conditioning , but has another 3 hour practice tonight. She wants to go and do what she can and the doctor said it was fine, just to modify whatever hurts. It really seemed to happen in slow motion watching her fall like that - I think tonight after all the kiddies are in bed I am going to treat myself to a nice big glass of wine !!!!!
 
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Thank heavens she is okay.

My dd hit her head the other day doing her backhandspring/backhandspring. It was scary and she was sore for 3 days. Nervewracking.
 
With all this talk of Skill Fairys in posts recently - It sounds like your Daughter had her Angel with her. Thanks goodness for that.

It is a scary sport. I am sure we have all seen things that want us to pull our children out of the gym. That is what makes you a good parent! The most important skills my daughter has learned, how to fall correctly. and how to saftey roll.

And when those fail.. her Angel is there.

:hugonwings:
 
I can feel your pain. My DS did the same thing off the end of the tumble track onto a crash mat. They were doing front tuck's off the end of the track w/ coach spotting as needed. The coach had always told them then had to hit their feet before the red line at the end or not do the trick. Well, my DS hit the red line. He bounced up and began to tuck and yelled "I hit the line..." and did not finish the flip. He also landed right on his neck. Same reaction here - gasps from everyone. coach on the mat w/ him. He just stayed down for a while. Then he got up and seemed ok. was holding his neck though.

What I didn't know at the time was that everyone inside the gym heard his neck pop.
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

He was fine by the way and not nearly as sore the next day as I thought he would be. I did have to give him a ride to school and carry his backpack to class, that was too heavy.
 
Thanks everyone. I think she recovered from it mentally a lot quicker than I will. Today she is in a lot of pain though. She can't really lift her left arm any higher than shoulder height and that side of her neck and back are really hurting. I ended up taking her to the doctor to play it safe - I don't like to take chances with the neck. The x-rays came back ok and the doctor said she pulled a muscle and will just have to wait it out. She went to practice for 3 hours this morning that was just ballet and conditioning , but has another 3 hour practice tonight. She wants to go and do what she can and the doctor said it was fine, just to modify whatever hurts. It really seemed to happen in slow motion watching her fall like that - I think tonight after all the kiddies are in bed I am going to treat myself to a nice big glass of wine !!!!!

I hope your daughter feels better soon... And uh... you might want to get a second medical opinion...
Plain X-rays are not adequate for ruling out spinous injuries. CT scan is needed. Also, ligamentous injuries (which can cause instability in the neck can only be diagnosed via MRI). An MRI is only needed if the Cervical spine can not be cleared through examination (put simply, no pain when pressing down points along the spine).

Did you see an Orthopedic or Neurosurgeon? I would find an orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon who specilizes in spine. If you'd brought your daughter to my hospital's emergency dept. they would have done a CT scan to rule out any fractures or other injury.

Muscles aren't generally "pulled" when landing on them. Again, I hope DD feels better soon.

Take care,

Sue Z
 
Last edited:
How scary. I don't even like to watch my DD do BHSs. I hope your DD is okay. She was very brave.
 
I watched a girls bail on her BHS BT (on the BHS) twice this week. THAT was difficult and it was not even my kid. My heart goes out to you and your dd. I hope she is feeling better & that you considered that second opinion. I think that is a great idea. All my best....
 
Hope your dd is feeling better. Thing is they tend to do the scariest crashes on the easier skills. I think sometimes they take them for granted, just let the mind wander for a split second or try and do a bigger whatever--bhs, back tuck, layout because they feel so comfortable with it.

I agree about getting dd checked out by an ortho if she continues to have pain in her neck or shoulder after 3-4 days. Getting in to see a neurosurgeon is just about impossible unless you go to the emergency room as mtbmom said. They simply have different protocols for dealing with neck injuries in the ER.

Your dd is one tough and determined girl!!
 
If in another day or two it is still hurting her at all I will definitely take her to get it checked at our ortho. My 6 yo ds has mild scoliosis , so we have a pediatric orthopedist we go to. I think she will be ok though - yesterday she was able to do just about everything at practice - a few things really bothered her so she modified. Last night it was hurting - but that could have something to do with all the crazy roller coasters we went on at the amusement park we went to after practice yesterday :p

And gymlawmom, I think you are 100% right - it does tend to be the skills they can do easily. I think they sometimes take for granted they can do it and all it takes is to lose focus for a second.
 
Oh - and I forgot - funny story- since it hurt to lift her left arm at practice yesterday she was just messing around on beam and realized she can do really good one arm back walkovers on it. Her coach liked so much how it looked that she is putting one in her beam routine. Gotta love these gymmies !!!
 

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

Back