It has taken this long to sort it all out and for me to feel confident enough to write about it.
Beach is cleared for Season and today she will compete as a Level 10 (that could change based on her needs) at a pre-season soft landing meet for Vault only.
And here we are on a Meet morning with an athlete who has shown up for full practices every day for 7 months; conditioning and slowly gaining back skills. She attended camps and clinics. Broke her thumb and keep going. Through pain and frustration, loneliness and fear.
It's not a big vault. It doesn't have a 10 start value but it's a vault!!!!
I had actually scoffed when I was told she had been entered in this early December Meet. I truly thought there was no way she would be ready to do anything.
And here we are on a Meet morning with an athlete who has shown up for full practices every day for 7 months; conditioning and slowly gaining back skills. She attended camps and clinics. Broke her thumb and keep going. Through pain and frustration, loneliness and fear.
Honestly, I wasn't sure I would ever see her compete again.
And 3-4 doctors asked to read the x-ray noted a pars fracture in the S1/L6.
The Chiropractor was able to give her an adjustment that seemed to help her more than any others.
What we know is she has lumbarization of the spine. A fancy way to say her S1 vertebra is acting more like a L6 than a S1. Instead of fusing into the sacrum it stands partially unfused with a clear disc between it and the S2.
It's not uncommon but it is not exactly normal either. It's going to cause her pain whether or not she is doing gymnastics.
And 3-4 doctors asked to read the x-ray noted a pars fracture in the S1/L6.
To be positive a CT with spec was ordered but a good second (and third) opinion pointed us away from unnecessary imaging and towards PT unless other concerns develop. The issue isn't bone- it's soft tissue based on the anatomy presented.
The "cure" is knowledge, strength, and flexibility.
As soon as we knew that compression fractures were not an issue and that the area to focus treatment on was the SI joint we saw improvements in Beach.
The Chiropractor was able to give her an adjustment that seemed to help her more than any others.
The PT at Recharge gave her some great stretched and also was able to help with her mobility with muscle fascia release.
Within the week she was seeing increased flexibility and less fear that the nagging pain is a sign of something dangerous.
She is still in pain. She has a long way to go. But today is step one. And step one is Vault. It's not how she wanted her first steps on the Level 10 stage to be but this sport... the numbers say nothing.
Good luck to all the Little Giants and gymnasts from our sister gyms competing today!
Don't forget to have fun. Enjoy this amazing moment <3
She's amazing.
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