Cut back her training time?

[gymcoachedgware]

I have an elite girl who I have pushed very hard and she has worked very hard to get where she is now. Last year she broke her wrist training and it was casted and she healed fine. Now 13 months later she complains of serious pain in her wrist. She hasn't vaulted in almost 3 weeks. A few days ago she couldn't do half the skills in her beam routine including press to handstand. Now she can't tumble at all. So all we have been working is standing saltos, leaps and bars. Should I cut back her training time to see if it will start getting better? She has seen a Dr. and he says that there is nothing wrong with it. I'm really worried that this may end her gymnastics career. She has already been through alot, peaking really early and missing the cut off for the 2012 Olympics by 4 days. I don't know if I should be pushing her to work through it, or giving her time to rest. Either way I don't want to kill her chances at 2016. Thanks

 

[gymdog]

She should get a second opinion on it, and rest in the meantime. If she can't do a press on beam she shouldn't be doing bars. If she is doing yurchenko vaults she needs to use a wrist support for all vaulting, likely on both sides. She may need to look into wrist supports/wraps for the other events too, contrary to the popular belief that this is just the result of "weakness" in the wrists. She has no huge imminent career reason to keep going full speed right now, so I don't see any question as to why she should risk further damage without getting a second opinion if it really hurts that much.

Did she get an MRI or an x-ray? An MRI or bone scan is probably necessary if it hasn't been done as stress fractures and other damage often won't show on an x-ray.

 

[gymcoachedgware]

She has gotten an x-Ray, but that is all. I have asked her about bars and she only said that it hurts when there is pressure pushed on it, not pulled. She hasn't been doing any realeases or anything too major. She mostly works on bars for about half an hour a day. She does wear wrist guards for both floor and vault, but she is still in alot of pain, and she is not the kind of kid to mke his up.

 

[gymdog]

Then she'll need to get an MRI or bone scan. Advise the parents to find another doctor (an orthopedist). If she has stress fractures the x-ray likely missed it or there could be soft tissue or joint damage that also will not be visible on the x-ray.

 

[gymcoach34]

Strange to me that you have a gymnast at this level but need to ask this kind of question about medical care???

 

[Deleted member D3987]

you just took the words right off of my fingertips. ^^^ this person is jesting, yes? YIKES!

 

[gymcoachedgware]

I'm aware of the fact that she needs a certain amount of medical care, I am just wondering other coaches opinions on whether I should continue her training hours with her working on tramp, leaps and other things she can do without causin more damage to her wrist or if I should have her hours cutback. I don't want her to lose sight of her dreams

 

[Deleted member D3987]

what is her vault and what are her tumbling passes??

 

[Deleted member D3987]

well????? what is her vault and tumbling passes??

 

[gymcoachedgware]

Sorry I did not immediatley reply. I was not online. She vaults a Yurchenko Layout full Twist, and she also has Front front pike half. Her tumbling passes are double tuck, double twist, roundoff 1 1/2 punch front full and 2 1/2.

 

[gymcoach34]

If she will be a few days short of the 2012 olympic age(?? meaning you feel she she would in the mix if she is old enough???), I'm assuming you are in the elite system- camps, etc. If so, you know the elites do not cut back on training hours, but rather work on weaknesses, conditioning, and modify the workout as much as possible. They also have access to great medical care at the ranch/ through the elite system- use it. Something sounds fishy to me!

 

[bookworm]

Took the words right out of my mouth...sounds like it's probably one of the multitude of girls "testing" (but not making) elite either via HOPES or whatever...so for where she's at, yes, you should cut back her hours at this point, get her injury properly diagnosed by a Sports Medicine MD and proceed from there...if the injury doesn't get diagnosed,treated and healed she'll never be ready for the 2016 Olympics either.

 

[cher062]

Health is more important than any olympic or gymnastic dreams. It can take along time before a broken bone heals correctly. Listen to the girl she says there is pain. She needs more time physically and mentally to heal and move on. I have to say anyone at the elite levels should know this. Heck my DD isn't anywhere near an elite level and probably never will be and I know that as a parent.

 

[bogwoppit]

My guess is that the coach is from the United Kingdom and is not in the US at all. Does that change things for the coaches here?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yes Bog, that makes a difference for me...

so, and based on the skills you have listed & her prior wrist injury, get her to the Doc for an MRI. ask them to rule out PUV or Positive Ulnar Variance. this was also called Ulnar Radial Variance but the medical profession changed the description/diagnosis a couple of years ago.

this must be ruled out 1st before you can continue training. in the meantime, modify what you are doing, up the conditioning and stay off the wrist.

 

[gymcoach34]

I think common sense is the same in all countries.......

 

[NGL780309]

One of the things I like about Chalkbucket is that it isn't generally snarky like gymgossip and I'd hate to see it turn that way.

I don't know whether the OP was/is a fake and I don't really care, but I was a bit bothered by how alot of posters immediately jumped to say the poster is either fake or has no sense. If they are fake it doesn't really hurt anyone. Maybe they really just wanted some advice. Just had to say it . . . .

 

[gymnast88]

I would take 1-2 weeks off, and not even come to the gym. And then for 2 more weeks she should work on making her wrist stronger (like what they do in physical therapy).
She should also ice it everyday after practice and take pain medication such as tylenol, advil, etc.
And if she does not use wrist gaurds (also known as tiger paws), those would help her on beam, vault, and floor.
Hope her wrist gets better soon!

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I think common sense is the same in all countries.......

you're right gymcoach...but...gymnastics/medical education to the coaching community is not the same in all countries unfortunately.

 

[bogwoppit]

you're right gymcoach...but...gymnastics/medical education to the coaching community is not the same in all countries unfortunately.

I totally agree, to judge all countries by USAG standards is not fair. Could we be just a little bit more welcoming folks?