All-Star Cheering With An Injury

[cheer25mom]

I told her not to do it because if she had just left the soft cast alone she would probably be healed by now. She has now not tumbled in over a month! She was just so looking forward to be an active participant in the routine. It killed her that now she's basically doing nothing. She is talking about not doing all star next year because of what has happened.

My CP went through this the first year of all star, and she wasn't even injured. They used her for 1 stunt, jumps and that was basically it. She stood in the back for dance and did arms. She didn't have standing or running tumbling. It really is common. It doesn't mean she isn't improving, or that she won't have a spot in it all next year. Also, didn't you say that part of it is due to missing Choreo? Sounds like it was just a couple of different bad situations combining. I would help her keep a positive attitude about what she IS getting to do, and encourage her to let her arm heal so she can get back into doing more.

It is a competitive sport, and the reality is that sometimes coaches have to place kids based on what is best for the team rather than what an individual athlete wants. Her basing hurt is NOT what's best for the team here, and frankly it bothers me that a coach is allowing her to base in a hard cast. It really isn't safe for her or the flyer. I am fairly certain that wouldn't be allowed at competition and I know our gym doesn't allow it under any circumstances. I have seen girls base with a walking boot, but never an arm cast. She doesn't need to be tumbling, or basing. She needs to be healing. Cheer will still be here when she is better, and even if she doesn't get a more active role this year there are a lot of years ahead of her. It just isn't worth risking a permanent injury so she doesn't lose a spot basing stunts.

 

[Jenniturtle]

My CP went through this the first year of all star, and she wasn't even injured. They used her for 1 stunt, jumps and that was basically it. She stood in the back for dance and did arms. She didn't have standing or running tumbling. It really is common. It doesn't mean she isn't improving, or that she won't have a spot in it all next year. Also, didn't you say that part of it is due to missing Choreo? Sounds like it was just a couple of different bad situations combining. I would help her keep a positive attitude about what she IS getting to do, and encourage her to let her arm heal so she can get back into doing more.

It is a competitive sport, and the reality is that sometimes coaches have to place kids based on what is best for the team rather than what an individual athlete wants. Her basing hurt is NOT what's best for the team here, and frankly it bothers me that a coach is allowing her to base in a hard cast. It really isn't safe for her or the flyer. I am fairly certain that wouldn't be allowed at competition and I know our gym doesn't allow it under any circumstances. I have seen girls base with a walking boot, but never an arm cast. She doesn't need to be tumbling, or basing. She needs to be healing. Cheer will still be here when she is better, and even if she doesn't get a more active role this year there are a lot of years ahead of her. It just isn't worth risking a permanent injury so she doesn't lose a spot basing stunts.

I think that once competition season is under way she will have a change of heart. Her missing choreography and then hurting her arm created a perfect storm. She has never been a patient person. She is also doing school cheer and I think she really didn't realize how cheer could take over her whole life. Her team has been having extra practices on both weekend days plus the normal practice day combined with three days of school cheer a week. She is basically failing math so the school cheer might be out of the picture soon.

 

[Miialovescheer]

Not a cheerleader but i used to wrestle like the olympic version and had an injury to my shoulder and had to train and compete in the nationals qualifier and landed om that same shoulder and re-injured my shoulder and there went not only Nationals but my whole wrestle career and i still have problems with my shoulder to this day like 7 years later..

 

[retiredl5cheer]

I am fairly certain that wouldn't be allowed at competition and I know our gym doesn't allow it under any circumstances. I have seen girls base with a walking boot, but never an arm cast.

Totally legal as long as it's wrapped up. We had a hardcore tiny mom that had her child compete at their biggest competition with a hard cast. They wrapped it up with an Ace bandage and bubble wrap I believe. Granted, she was basing thigh stands.

 

[cheer25mom]

Totally legal as long as it's wrapped up. We had a hardcore tiny mom that had her child compete at their biggest competition with a hard cast. They wrapped it up with an Ace bandage and bubble wrap I believe. Granted, she was basing thigh stands.

I would think it would be almost impossible to base anything else rapped enough to be safe!

 

[NerdMobile]

My poor CP entered All Star Cheer as a mini with a serious break in her arm (she was pushed down at school by a zealous kid running past- right arm broken in 3 places...a buckle fracture). As a mini (I think she was 6 or 7) they were not doing a lot. She danced and jumped and when the cast came off she "stunted " (as much as a mini first year does). Her rec team let her full on participate (at the "taxi" level they did no stunting and frankly mostly pulled up grass). The next year was the year of the break. She somehow cracked her heel (we did not know) and then broke a wrist. They modified her jobs until she was healed- they were very supportive. Her practice was anything not involving use of the broken things. Last year she somehow broke her wrist doing a simple back handspring on the tumble track (she stopped dead after the back handspring) We thought it was sprained or pulled and iced and elevated. About 3 weeks later her coach noticed her grimace when trying her out as a base for a tiny little mini aged girl on their youth team. She immediately sent us to the ER- where we found out her wrist was broken. They would have adjusted for her if they had known! We have been super lucky to have teams that are very proactive about healing.... but during the time we did not know she stunted and tumbled as usual on both competitive teams!

 

[retiredl5cheer]

My poor CP entered All Star Cheer as a mini with a serious break in her arm (she was pushed down at school by a zealous kid running past- right arm broken in 3 places...a buckle fracture). As a mini (I think she was 6 or 7) they were not doing a lot. She danced and jumped and when the cast came off she "stunted " (as much as a mini first year does). Her rec team let her full on participate (at the "taxi" level they did no stunting and frankly mostly pulled up grass). The next year was the year of the break. She somehow cracked her heel (we did not know) and then broke a wrist. They modified her jobs until she was healed- they were very supportive. Her practice was anything not involving use of the broken things. Last year she somehow broke her wrist doing a simple back handspring on the tumble track (she stopped dead after the back handspring) We thought it was sprained or pulled and iced and elevated. About 3 weeks later her coach noticed her grimace when trying her out as a base for a tiny little mini aged girl on their youth team. She immediately sent us to the ER- where we found out her wrist was broken. They would have adjusted for her if they had known! We have been super lucky to have teams that are very proactive about healing.... but during the time we did not know she stunted and tumbled as usual on both competitive teams!

I'm sure you got it all checked out... but it seems very strange for a kid to break their bones that much. Did the doctors say anything about there being an issue? I'm 24 and I've never broken a bone, so I can't imagine breaking 4 bones in a span of a few years.

 

[WinstonsGirl]

My daughter is so mad at her coach now because he won't let her/spot her on a full until next month. She was cleared a month ago for everything except flying due to 2 knee surgeries, but he himself had knee surgery so he is just being xtra cautious. She is doing toe touches tuck and front punch tumbling but I will let him do what he feels is right! We do not due any qualifiers until January. I feel lucky to have him as a coach!

Good for your coach. Studies have shown that females are much more prone to ACL tears due to a lack of strength and condition for legs. Boys get a lot more of it. You knees are the only joint that can't really be repaired back to 100% with surgery. Doctors can do an amazing job, but it'll never be 100%. You can never be too careful with your knees.

As for Advil, I once had a tooth infection and 3 root canals on the tooth. I was in such pain before going in that I would go to the emergency dental clinic at night to get frozen so I could sleep. The Dentist there told me I could take 2 Tylenol 3 and 2 extra strength Advil every 4 hours for the pain and I would be ok. I seriously though I would OD on that amount of meds.

ETA - Our school rules state you can't stunt with a cast. You can be on the floor and jump/dance, etc., but no stunting allowed.

 

[kristenthegreat]

And what happens when that injured kid injuries ANOTHER kid because they're not up to full form but 'working through the pain??'

I fractured my middle finger in 3 places during gymnastics, and the only event they allowed me on for that next competition was vault because it was a one-and-done and I had just a little splint on. It was also level 4, so I was only doing a front block to prone. Don't even think I used my fingers..

 

[CheerBank]

And what happens when that injured kid injuries ANOTHER kid because they're not up to full form but 'working through the pain??'

Very good point. That what was going through my mind last year watching that girl with the cast base one-armed at Worlds. So many things could have gone wrong, not just for her but for her flyer. And the video (I think from 2 seasons ago) of the boy who continued competing with an obviously messed up shoulder and was also basing one-armed - what if his flyer has fallen and he had not been able to catch her? He marked all his jumps, if I recall correctly) but still based in the pyramid. Or how about a flyer with a wrapped cast coming down and knocking a base in the head or face, or even a base with a bad ankle unable to catch her flyer because the ankle suddenly gives? All real dangers yet we continue to applaud the athletes for competing injured. Maybe everyone's mindset needs to change.

 

[Official OWECheer]

And what happens when that injured kid injuries ANOTHER kid because they're not up to full form but 'working through the pain??'

I fractured my middle finger in 3 places during gymnastics, and the only event they allowed me on for that next competition was vault because it was a one-and-done and I had just a little splint on. It was also level 4, so I was only doing a front block to prone. Don't even think I used my fingers..

YES.

 

[NatalieB97]

I can't imagine the pain you experienced on bars.

it was pretty awful...even advil and icing wouldn't help at that point

 

[Official OWECheer]

it was pretty awful...even advil and icing wouldn't help at that point

I would have fallen off. And when you combine that with the pain of rips... *shudder*

 

[NatalieB97]

I would have fallen off. And when you combine that with the pain of rips... *shudder*

oh my gosh. rips were the absolute worst. i quit almost two years ago and i still have small calluses and uneven palms
ah the joys of gymnastics

 

[Official OWECheer]

oh my gosh. rips were the absolute worst. i quit almost two years ago and i still have small calluses and uneven palms
ah the joys of gymnastics

If I were you I would be on the ground like "TAKE ME LAWD!"

I saw a photo of a guy holding a layer of his palm in his hand. Yes, his rips were so bad that a layer of his palm came off.