Parents Bum ankle...

[MaryA]

Not asking for medical advice. Just complaining.
Last weekend at her meet, Kathy turned her ankle in floor warm-up (last event, luckily). She made a face, limped a couple of steps, and said "I'm fine" and went on to do her routine (her lowest score on floor this season, but she got through it). I'll admit, I didn't think much of it after that. The meet was close to home so we had people over after the meet... kids (Kathy included) running through the house, etc. No complaints on Sunday, went to practice as usual this week. Yesterday she mentions "remember how I turned my ankle at the meet? Well, it's still hurting." but then no other complaints. Today they didn't have school so my husband took both Kathy and her sister hiking in the snow. Tonight at practice she was running laps and clearly limping. Now it's swollen. I feel like an idiot for not realizing it was an issue and making her take it easy this week. We're off for a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge tomorrow morning, so making her take it easy this weekend will be as easy as hearding cats. I told her that if it was still bothering her on Monday, she will have to go to the doctor, and she's worried about missing practice time between now and sectionals because she REALLY wants to qualify for states. Kathy's always had a high tolerance for pain (when she and her twin sister were babies, if Tory was crying and pulling on her ears I always made the dr. check Kathy's ears too, even though she wasn't complaining... invariably she had the same ear infection) which probably serves her well in gymnastics, but sometimes I wish she WOULD let pain stop her because, well, that's what pain is supposed to do, isn't it? Slow you down enough so that you can recover? I'm very frustrated by the situation, especially because I feel certain that if she had just taken it easy for a couple of days, we wouldn't be in this situation now.

 

[gym law mom]

Don't beat yourself up at all. She was able to do her floor routine, was fine running around after the meet and didn't say anything to you until about 5 days later. Obviously if its still painful/swollen in a few days, seeing the doctor is the right thing. Many girls in this sport have a fairly high pain tolerance or they learn to ignore aches/pains that other kids would mention. That isn't always good. Sounds like a good time to sit down and have a talk about when she needs to tell you something is hurting. I know many of them(mine included) don't want to say anything because it may mean they have to sit out. You have to stress that sometimes just taking it easy for a few practices is smarter and better for her in the long run than trying to push through pain.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

My DD is nearing the end of two weeks out of gym for a sprained ankle. She did go for shortened practices to stretch & condition. Tomorrow we are hoing to cheer her teammates on at the meet, she had to scratch. Better to miss a little & heal than be out for the season.

 

[Dezi]

Do get it checked, my dd turned her ankle under in November and she stretched a tendon. She is in a brace but can practice fine, the doctor said if she turned it again she could snap the tendon and require surgery. The brace keeps the ankle from turning so the tendon can heal. She is in the brace for 9 months but can do all activity as long as brace is on. She also competed in it the last two meets of the season.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

I'm sorry to hear that! I hope it heals fast and hopefully next time, she won't wait so long to tell you!

 

[Azgymmiemom]

I hope she heals really quick!! poor kid!!

 

[UnoMas]

Aw, poor thing. Don't be mad at yourself. Things like that happen all the time. You're doing the right thing by getting it checked, hopefully it will be no big deal and the pain will go away soon!

 

[MaryA]

Thanks everyone... she has had (according to her) 2 pain-free days... it hasn't bothered her since Friday. No swelling since then either (at least that I can check!). Coach called an extra practice tomorrow (she's gearing the girls up for sectionals and the weather is supposed to get bad mid-week, she she's trying to be proactive in case we have some "snow days" in there) so I was sure to tell her about about the ankle, and I told Kathy "if you do something and it hurts, don't do it again!"