Might never be able to do gymnastics again???!!

[shelbyshoe]

Was at the doctor's today and found out i had a stress fracture which lead to slippage because i left it untreated for too long thinking it was just normal pain. I am now out for a minimum 7 months. I stress fractured my L5 (same spot) about one a half years ago. My doc doesn't think it's a good idea to return to gymnastics and my mum agrees. I'm 16, an acro top and therefore i do lots of back flexi stuff (did artistic up until level 8, moved to acro 2 years ago). Gymnastics has been a part of my life for the past 11/12 years... quitting for me is NOT an option. i cried when i got told this.. and can't help but cry even more when thinking about it. Gymnastics is who i am and i don't know what to do without it.
Has anyone ever experienced anything like this?
I feel so lost..

 

[shelbyshoe]

Was at the doctor's today and found out i had a stress fracture which lead to slippage because i left it untreated for too long thinking it was just normal pain. I am now out for a minimum 7 months. I stress fractured my L5 (same spot) about one a half years ago. My doc doesn't think it's a good idea to return to gymnastics and my mum agrees. I'm 16, an acro top and therefore i do lots of back flexi stuff (did artistic up until level 8, moved to acro 2 years ago). Gymnastics has been a part of my life for the past 11/12 years... quitting for me is NOT an option. i cried when i got told this.. and can't help but cry even more when thinking about it. Gymnastics is who i am and i don't know what to do without it.
Has anyone ever experienced anything like this?
I feel so lost..

 

[Kay_Hll]

Sorry to hear your situation. If you still want to be around gymnastics, channel your energy to the next generation by looking into coaching. This way you can reevaluate again after you are fully healed.

 

[sally]

I think that is a great idea coaching.

 

[gymnut1]

While you heal get into coaching and judging (if you are old enough) . Use the wonderful passion you have to become an ambassador for your sport and a role model for younger children at your gym. It will still be 'your' sport just in a different way.

If it felt good for you doing a round off back hand spring, think how good you will feel being surrounded by children doing them because you have taught them. Their joy will become your joy.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

so sorry about your injury. you only have one back and TRUST ME you do not want a bad back when you get older. please listen to the doctor & your mom. Coaching & judging would be great ways to stay involved with the sport you love while not making your adult years excruciatingly painful.

 

[jsfofec]

I'm so sorry to hear that. As much as you love gymnastics, you also have to think of your health and your future. You have your entire life in front of you and you don't want to do anything that will prevent you from living your life to it's fullest potential.

Even if you can't do gymnastics anymore, that doesn't mean you have to leave the sport. By now, you have a lot of knowledge and experience. You can use that to help teach others. Maybe you can get into coaching, who knows, you may turn into a great coach and help many girls live out their dreams.

 

[Faith]

First, take some time off and heal completely. While you do it's a fantastic idea to take some coaching exams, you may need them later even if you don't want to coach now.

When you're healed chat with your dr- could it be possible to go to a middle or base? That solves the weight issue, and will be minimal stress on your back. Alternatively, if you're fit enough what about display gymnastics? I knew alot of ex-tops who dropped back a few levels and competed as a base to qualify younger gymnasts through the system.

If you do go middle/base you have a much longer career, into your late 20's easily. So plenty of time to heal properly, don't rush into anything!

 

[catou]

So sorry to hear that. I've been through the same thing. After almost 3 months without any jumping or running, my physiotherapist told me I should stop, because the cartilage in my ankle could suffer damages, and that can't be healed. I later learned I had osteochondritis in my other ankle, so stopping was really the only thing I could do. At 15, I had to stop the only sport I knew since the age of 5. Training between 12 and 16 hours a week and going to school 25 hours a week was my life. At that time I wouldn't have exchanged it with anybody. It certainly was one of the hardest decision of my life. But, you know, the prospect of having pain for the rest of my whole life (at that time it hurt just to go down the stairs)... well, I was active and wanted to stay active. I found other activities (I can now jog (finally healed enough for that , I do hiking, etc.). You feel lost at the beginning, but you can find other activities. Sure, nothing's like gymnastics. I remembered telling my last coach on my very last day, the very last time I was leaving the gym as a gymnast after she had told me I would find something else, that there was nothing like gym. I still thing that way, but it certainly hurt less and less. And the fact that you're kind of not having the choice is also hard. You're body's not following heart and that's so frustrating.

At 23, I'm still involved in the sport. I'm now coaching and I love it. I don't know till when I'll do that, but when I'll leave, it certainly won't be easy either.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

coach, baby, coach...........

 

[coachmolly]

So sorry to hear about your situation, but try to remember that being a gymnast must eventually come to an end for everyone, it just comes much sooner for some of us than we would like due to reasons beyond our control. There are plenty of ways to stay involved through coaching and judging, I'm sure you have a lot to offer in either of those fields like previous posters have mentioned. It's also a big world and you can use this time to delve into other things that interest you (that won't hurt your back) as you follow the doctor's orders to rest and recover. There's a good chance that nothing will ever take the place of gymnastics, but you might find some other skills, talents, and interests that you have been unaware of up to this point.
I remember being in the ICU as a 12 year old with a gymnastics-related injury and sobbing, not because I was in the hospital or because I was scared of the surgery the doctor just told me about, but because the doctor told me I should probably never do gymnastics again. I did end up going back and fortunately did not have any of the ill-effects described by the doctors, but was forced to quit several years later for other health problems. Not being able to do gymnastics hurts, but you only have one back that you need to take care of right now or else endure a life of pain.
I hope things go well as you work to recover from this injury and some good news and great opportunities come your way.

 

[Trixiebelle]

I am so very sorry to hear about you back. It's hard to be forced from doing something you love so very much, but trite as it sounds now, it will get better. While in you teens, this seems like the end of the world, it migh just be the start of something new and exciting. Wishing you much peace and sanity as you heal - your back will last you your whole life....

 

[Deleted member D3987]

this is the same poster about the coach that wants her to weigh less cause she's a "top" in acro right? kinda sudden relative to the other post?

 

[GymBee97]

So sorry to hear of your injury - it is a painful one that's for sure. And we only hope for a speedy recovery.

With that said Shelby I don't think you know what you want, it wasn't that long ago you posted you wanted to quit and mom was making you continue because she was one of those pushy moms and you didn't know how to tell her you wanted to quit.


http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/chalk-bucket/35628-quitting-gymnastics-pushy-mum-coach.html

part of that post you say

"I can't handle it and i get so frustrated easily nowadays, i get angry/upset easily when i can't do a new skill and i don't think i love it as much as i used to. I hate saying that i can't go out with my friends because i'm tired or i have gymnastics, i feel like i miss out on so much even though i have best friends at gym. trials are also 2 months away and i don't know if i want to even bother competing and we're on holidays at the moment so we also have extra practice sessions. Please help?! I don't know what to do!"

Maybe this injury is Fates's way of letting you know its time to try new things.

My son who was also injured at 16 and couldn't continue became a coach and he is still doing that

 

[bogwoppit]

Merged threads to keep answers together.

 

[bribri514]

Second (or third, or fourth!) the coaching idea. I did competitive gymnastics until the college level and I had to quit because of spondylothesis and had to have a spinal fusion :-( I was pretty devastated but now coaching has become a huge passion of mine!! Good luck :hug: