Parents Coming back after an injury

[sleeping judy]

Is it reasonable to expect if a girl has been out with a hand injury for 7 to 8 weeks that she might need a spot (honestly just someone to stand there) with skills.

My dd has been out and recently released completely by the doctor. She has some anxiety about attempting some skills again as she has been only conditioning for the past 7/8 weeks, She is training 6/7 and has slowly gotten back her vault over the table and her back walker on the high beam, but she just likes someone to stand there.

I am not sure if I am getting the full story from her (she's 9), but the coaches will not stand there or she is afraid to ask for help with her for back tucks. I hated that I had to do this, but I got her a private and after the first couple, where she needed the coach to stand there, she was doing them no problem at all. But then, back in group practice, she is just told to do back handsprings.

I am a pretty reasonable person, but it has been such a rough fall for her. The injury has really stopped her in her tracks in wanting to get to level 7. I don't really care, my philosophy has been to just ride the wave of gymnastics, but I want to know if I am reasonable in expecting that she might get a little help getting back to where she already was. I am tired of seeing her frustrated. I can't imagine that they just expect that one day she will get them back without assistance.

 

[luvmygymdtr]

You are being totally reasonable. In fact, taking the injury variable out if it, you'd still sound reasonable. She is struggling with a skill, it would be nice, and should be expected, to get some assistance from a coach.

 

[profmom]

How long has she been back? I don't think it's a terrible thing for her to take a little time to reaccustom herself to back tumbling before working on the tuck. A few years ago, my DD broke her arm and was out for three months. I am pretty sure that vault and back tumbling were the last things she regained, but honestly it did not take all that long in the grand scheme of things. What worked for my girl was a lot of tumble track for the first few weeks back, if I am remembering correctly.

With an arm/hand injury, she also has to regain some of the lost arm strength and that is probably exacerbating her lack of confidence. Encourage her to be patient -- the skills are in her head, not her hands/arms, and once she's stronger, they will be every bit as good as they were before the injury. It won't take long. Really!

 

[Smartiegirl]

I feel your pain. My daughter broke two bones in her forearm in March falling off bars. One was compound so three surgeries later she is finally completely back in the gym.

She has been on beam and training bars to get her giants back for about a month but just started her tumbling on the floor. Hasn't done the b tuck on floor yet, or layout. But lots of BHS and skills on tumble track. She also feels she needs a spot to do the tougher skills. I have booked a few floor privates. I think that it's a good idea to get them some one on one attention to regain confidence. It worked for beam. My daughter now attempting her series. Sometimes the timing of the injury affects the spotting too as now girls are in the season and working on full routines.

My daughters wrist strength was a BIG issue too..the PT's biggest fear was that she would attempt skills without realizing that she isn't as strong as she was before the injury.

I try to remember its not a race its a marathon. Safety first, she'll get back.

 

[krisnkids]

Sounds like there are two sides of the story. Check with the coach on how she is doing on her comeback, mention her fear of doing things without a spot. If its a good coach I'd imagine your dd got spotted and then was told to do them on her own and she was having a mental block.

 

[sleeping judy]

She was out for 7 weeks but conditioning that whole time. She was released 3 weeks ago (completely healed, but was to tape for all activities). I get bars. She is weak and has really had to work her way back. That's going to take time.

After a couple weeks she wanted to vault, but was afraid to do it. Once she made it over the table with someone standing there a few times she had it back. Same thing with the back walker/back handspring on beam which took couple of practices of someone standing there.

The back tuck/layout is another story. The only time she has asked for help was when I had her do the private and it was the same deal. A couple times standing there and she was fine. In practice she won't ask. I managed to catch the last part of practice last night and it just stinks so much to see her upset and ready to cry.