This is the year of injury - UGH

[shelovestoflip]

I know that, in our area, HS gym is not s particularly big deal and therefore very little money is given to the sport. I would love for DD to be able to do HS gym when she's old enough (if the HS still has a team by then) but I worry about the safety of the equipment. Looking at the ancient cast-off equipment in the HS gym makes me wonder what people would say if we sent the football team out onto the field with cardboard boxes on their heads instead of helmets. Hopefully it's better at your DD's HS?

Where we live, most of the HS teams practice at local gyms. Not sure how they have developed the relationships with the gyms but I know that some of our team HS girls are on the HS team that practices at our gym.

Also, I know that the HS coaches don't make the girls 'double practice'...they balance the time between club and school.

Definitely makes sense so they aren't overworking their body.

I know in other areas, the HS team is a fall sport, which is good because then they arent' competing too much in winter.

 

[cher062]

We have been told that the any HS sport they must be at all practices and competitions even if they are injured per the governing body that oversees all HS sports. But there can be exceptions. The equipment we have is good but we don't have a spring floor. The "floor" is basicly a rug that has the foam on the back about 3 or 4 inches worth. So I think that may have alot to do with her back injury. WE do practice at a local gym too. One of the girls on the team is the daughter of the owner of that gym but the HS pays the gym for that time. IF (and right now that is a big IF) she does this next year I'm not going to allow her to do floor unless its on a spring floor. They do have one school that has that and there are a few meets at some of the local gyms.

 

[coachmolly]

I can't speak for your DD's coach, but if I had a club gymnast who would only participate on the condition that they trained at their regular club the vast majority of the time, I would work with them. But that's not likely to happen where I am as we're the only game in town, it might be different when the HS teams see a little bit more competition between the opportunity they provide and what clubs offer. Protecting her body, not only for club gym but for life, is the most important thing.
As far as HS equipment, it's pretty dreadful where I am. We have a vault table and foam floor like what Cher described, our beam is not a spring beam, our bars are old and don't have an extra wide setting and the HB doesn't get very high (my feet hit the floor when I swing and I'm 5'5). We also have the bare minimum as far as extra matting. Landings from dismounts/vault are on an old 4 incher on top of a panel mat on the gym floor- not bad for pre-meet, but obviously not good for daily training. We don't have a low beam or any 8 inchers (though we do have one worn out, foldable 12" resi type mat) and the school won't fund any more than they already have. All of our practices are at the school gym, so I wouldn't recommend it for the kids who are injury prone to say the least.

 

[cher062]

UPDATE:

Ok back from the Orthopedic DR. He did a bunch of other tests on her. REsults were all negative - great news. He suspects she sprained the muscle near her lower back spine area and has been having muscle spasms so its Aleve, heating pad and no gym this week. WE go back on t...he 14th if there is no improvement by that time then he is going to do some other tests. But he feels by then there should be improvement. But no Gymnastics for this week and can start back doing conditioning next week. Will have to miss the next meet for sure. Over all it is all good news. He did say if there is no improvement by the 14th then there may be stress fractures not showing up and they may show up later but he really doesn't think its stress fractures.

 

[gymgurl]

That's great news as far as any back injury goes! Hope she has a speedy recovery and that they aren't invisible stress fractures but if it helps my friend fractured her back in 2009 (not discovered up until april or may 2010) and continued to compete the 2010 season (june - Aug) and after the season finished she took 6 weeks off and her back was almost 100% she just couldn't bend it that much, she has since then quit because of fears and the coach not being so supportive of them but she would have been able to continue if she wanted to.

 

[coachmolly]

So glad there are no signs of fractures, but muscle spasms are sure not fun. I dealt with them from very early in my gymnastics "career" and still have problems currently if I overdo it. Aleve and heating pads/warm rice bags work wonders, and topical arthritis type creams with pain relievers can be a good quick fix if the pain is unbearably bad and you just can't wait for anything else to kick in. I've also had some luck with massaging arnica gel into the area, but not always. They're a pain (literally) but thankfully do go away, and it's good if you can narrow down what causes the most stress on those muscles and try to avoid it as much as possible. Good luck!

 

[TexasRose]

Glad to hear it's not something serious! I hope she's feeling better!!! I hurt my back last summer and had muscle spasms as a result and they are not fun. Luckily my DR is open-minded and was trained in accupuncture and we gave it a try. She put 5 little gold needles in my right ear, they stay in for 3 days and fall out on their own. No spasms at all while they were in place- it was amazing! For me it was definitely better than taking muscle relaxers- which make me like a zombie. Maybe look into that in your area if she continues to have pain? I hope she's feeling better! good luck!!!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

So glad to hear that it is nothing serious! I have had muscle spasms as well in my lower back! They are not fun! I found that heating pads helped a bunch! Hopefully she will be back to normal very soon!

 

[cher062]

the heating pad is her new best friend ;-)

 

[lhmom]

That is terrific news. Well, the no fracture news is. I know the muscle spasms are no fun, but at least she'll feel better after some rest.

 

[flipper's fan]

I'm feeling you after having gone through the stress fracture stress recently. DD had the same outcome- just a little muscle thing. Seems like practicing bars and twisting flips makes her vulnerable to the back muscle pain. I'm glad that it is something easily healed.

 

[Danica76]

Great to hear that it was not a stress fracture! I bet you are both so relieved! I have sciatica and when it flares up, I just about want to curl up in a ball and cry. Very painful.

 

[bookworm]

I was thinking that maybe next year to drop the HS gym. I was thinking too it might be more than her body can handle but its the club that has the majority of the meets at 16 this season and HS has a total of 7 including the states and Regionals. I think it might be the amount of practice because on the days she doesn't have club she does have HS and then the 2 days a week her club starts at 5pm she is at HS practice after school until 4pm. I am going to talk to her HS coach to see if she can be excused from the practice where she is at the club practicing and only do HS practice the one before any meets.

DD won't be happy with me next year if I nix the HS but I think that is what is going to happen. I wan't her to be involved but there are so many other less impacting sports she could try.

Just got back from DR. Nothing for sure yet. They sent her for x-rays to rule out stress fractures if nothing shows then they want an MRI - UGH I asked them to lets just do the MRI first nope they want the x-rays first. I am still hopeful it is a strain that will clear up soon but I think DR is thinking Stress fractures YIKES every girl I know that had that ended up having to stop Gymnastice for good. My DD is upset worrying about that possibility. She has been prohibited from Physical Ed and Sports not even contidtioning and stretching until tests come back and they re-evaluate her back - No follow up appt until after test results are reviewed . She is NOT happy at all. I think she will not be doing meets at least until sectionals in March at the earliest I didn't tell her that though I'm hoping she will be back to practice within the next 3 weeks.

Don't know what we are going to do if she is done with gymnastics. It will be a hysterical cry fest if that is how it ends up

Cher, glad to hear that no stress fx so far but even if she does end up having one down the road, it doesn't necessarily mean it's over. My daughter had a stress fx a few years ago in her back, sat out 12 weeks in a back brace and came back at the end of the season to compete States, Regionals and Nationals..and did very well! So they can come back from this injury if it is rehabbed properly...


And about the club versus HS practice, in our area, the High School practice takes priority over the club practice, per the governing body of high school athletics so she may need to just do the HS over the club practices. Your coach may want to work with you but if someone on another team gets wind of the fact that she's practicing club over HS, she could get disqualified from meets she's participated in...this did happen a few years ago when one of the top local HS teams knew that a girl at our club wasn't practicing at every HS practice (and was going to club) and they lodged a complaint with the governing board and the girl was forced to sit out of Sectionals ...something to keep in mind...

 

[Natasha]

A teammate of my dd had a stress fracture last fall and is now back into full swing. She had the back brace and was out 12 weeks total, but was still able to come to gym and do certain things. She is now back on track and getting ready for her first L8 competition. Her recovery time was actually the same time given us by my dd's hand surgeon- for a broken pinky. So they both came back to full training at the same time.

 

[cher062]

Bookworm we were told that she didn't have to go to all the HS practices as even the HS doesn't want over use issues. But if it comes down to HS or Club then HS is history.

 

[gymluvr33]

I'm really glad that it's not a stress fracture, but I'm sure muscle spasms are no fun either! About high school gymnastics, though, I know of quite a few gymnasts in our state who do not go to all, or even most, high school practices, but are still able to compete without an issue. The coaches and at least a few judges are aware, but I've never heard of it being an issue. Good luck to your dd, and I hope she heals quickly and can be better for sectionals and states!