Parents Panner's Disease

[Pea'sMom]

Pea hurt her elbow about two weeks ago and a recent MRI showed a diagnosis of Panner's disease. She has a follow-up with an 'arm specialist' on Friday, but I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with this that they would be willing to share. My friend Google says that it's rare, but is common among gymnasts and pitchers.

 

[NY Dad]

I can't help but wanted to let you know that I'm sorry to hear about Pea's elbow. I hope everything turns out okay.

 

[Pea'sMom]

I can't help but wanted to let you know that I'm sorry to hear about Pea's elbow. I hope everything turns out okay.

Thanks! The more I look into this, the more I think it will probably change to an OCD diagnosis. Which will be devastating for her. We'll see what the arm guy has to say today...Fingers crossed!

 

[lovemygymnast]

Saying a prayer for her doctors visit! So sorry she's having this trouble.

 

[Seeker]

I also had to google Panner's Disease as I haven't heard of it before. Hoping today's appt goes well.

 

[l.c.o]

No advice, but good luck with the appointment! Thinking of her.

Off to Google Panner's Disease.

 

[duyetanh]

Please let us know how it goes, and I am so sorry to hear it! Thinking healing thoughts for her...

 

[Pea'sMom]

Thank you all for the positive thoughts! Appointment was not very conclusive, the specialist actually referred us to the specialist, specialist. She definitely has done some damage, but the MRI wasn't clear as to what it is. So off to the out-of-network, expensive, but head of this that and the other thing to find out what he thinks. According to the Dr, they will probably take a look laparoscopicly to determine course of treatment. I'm so sad for her, she had finally found a really good spot with her team and coaches, first meet was supposed to be next weekend. She's being very stoic about it so far

 

[Seeker]

I'm sorry to hear that

How did she hurt it?

 

[profmom]

If it is OCD, know that it is tough, but with enough patience and time, they can come back. DS's teammate had a diagnosis of OCD of the elbow almost exactly a year ago. Tomorrow he will rock his second meet as a L9. Very much hoping for a definitive diagnosis with a shorter time frame for full recovery!

 

[momstrong]

So sorry and thinking positive thoughts for you. We have both a gymnast with loose jointed elbows and a pitcher in our family so maybe I should be aware of this too.

 

[duyetanh]

Oh that just stinks. I will keep hoping for the best for her. I do hope it isn't too long a recovery.

 

[Pea'sMom]

I'm sorry to hear that

How did she hurt it?

She was messing around outside with her little brother, slipped and landed on her elbow. After a week of rest, ice, and heat, it was not feeling better (hurt, couldn't extend it all the way, and clicking/popping when she opened and closed it) she we went off to the first orthopedist. Both the first ortho and the arm specialist believe that she 'broke' something, and that is what is causing the clicking sound. My understanding is that falling simply aggravated/advanced (not sure the word) something that already existed.

If it is OCD, know that it is tough, but with enough patience and time, they can come back. DS's teammate had a diagnosis of OCD of the elbow almost exactly a year ago. Tomorrow he will rock his second meet as a L9. Very much hoping for a definitive diagnosis with a shorter time frame for full recovery!

This is what she'll need, positive outcomes! Thank you!!! She finally broke down last night, sobbing, about not getting to wear her new team leo...Poor sweet kid!

 

[gymdoc]

She finally broke down last night, sobbing, about not getting to wear her new team leo

Our coach sometimes lets the injured gymnasts "dress" for the meet and rotate with the competing girls to help cheer them on. That way they don't feel as left out. Maybe she could do that?

 

[profmom]

Pea'sMom, that's pretty much what happened with my son's teammate -- he had a fall on high bar that didn't seem to be a big deal, but the pain afterward was not resolving, so he went and got it checked out. That's when they discovered the OCD. His coach said it was a blessing in disguise, because sometimes they will only have mild pain and keep working through until it is a much worse injury (he has had a couple other athletes go through this in his career as a coach). If it is OCD, I hope your daughter's in the same boat.

Hugs to her and to you!

 

[flyinghigh]

My dad just went thru OCD recovery, let me tell you, it's tough. Expect it to change to an OCD elbow if it's clicking especially. It all depends on what stage it is and if surgery is needed. My daughter was stage 1 and actually cleared it without surgery but couldn't use that elbow for 8 months. The big thing with her was how young she was at diagnosis (hadn't gone thru puberty). She is now back at the gym and trying to catch up to her peers.

Planners is a better diagnosis then OCD but our specialist said it's usually OCD with gymnasts.

Good luck

 

[rjb123]

Im late to this, but DD had a "true" case of Panner's disease when she had just turned 8 years old and was preparing to compete level 5. In her case it was aching and severe swelling that was the signal. She could not bear weight on it at first. The aching was off and on for a few weeks and then she had a huge flare one night where it really swelled up. Never had any clicking or locking. Her ortho suspected OCD initially (he is a sports ortho and does a lot of those surgeries for gymnasts!) but upon the MRI you could clearly see the breakdown of her capitellum. It was truly a textbook case. She ended up non weight bearing for about a month, then gradually increased her weight bearing status at gym. All in all, it took a year to fully complete the cycle of the disease and she trained and competed through most of it. Certain things were harder for her as that arm was once hyperextended and post disease became only fully straight so that was hard. She adapted and after adding some additional PT/ strength work it all worked out fine. The reality of Panner's is that it is REALLY rare- most diagnosis are really just OCD but incorrectly diagnosed. Planners has a very specific "look" on MRI (and I saw it on the first x ray- actually I questioned our ortho about it because it looked more globally crumbling and crushed as opposed to focal spots that you see on X rays with OCD). Throughout the year DD had a series of images taken of her elbow and you could see the disease progress and the capitellum re- grow.

 

[rjb123]

Oh and Panners is actually not related to sports. It is thought to "maybe" have a link, but according to our ortho, it really is kind of a genetic freak thing that would have occurred no matter what she was or was not doing. The cases where they feel it is linked to OCD it really generally just turns out that it was OCD all the time, just incorrectly diagnosed. It is mostly found in boys and in their dominant arm or leg. It can run in families (my father had elbow issues at a young age age 7-8 that likely could have been Panners- in his dominant arm, went away over a year time, but back then they didn't do all the imaging etc they do now.)

 

[Pea'sMom]

Update:
First, thank you all for your responses!
Pea had her appointment with the elbow big wig, and has an official OCD diagnosis. She's scheduled for surgery next week and will be in a hard cast for two months, followed up with rehab/PT to regain full range of motion and strength. There is the possibility of a second surgery if her elbow locks after the cast is taken off. We are feeling hopeful since the big wig is the one who pioneered the 'new' surgery used to treat this. She is feeling devastated since she will miss meet season, but the plus side is she will have a whole year to heal and get her strength back without rushing to get to a meet. First meet was supposed to be this weekend, and Pea has decided to go (wear her leo of course) and cheer her teammates on.

 

[sce]

Sorry she needs surgery, hopefully it was caught early and will recover well.