Training and Gymnastics February 20th, 2017 to August 22nd, 2017
A lot has happened in the last months! This is a parent perspective on Elijah's journey since January 20th.
Elijah got through the National Qualifier January 17th weekend, but his shoulder was very sore, as was his right knee. He took a month off tumbling to rest the knee from what the doctor thought was Osgoode Schlatters' disease (growth related) and we asked for yet another scan of the left shoulder. It didn't make sense to us that 9 mos later, after all the physio treatments and daily exercises, he was still buckling in support on that shoulder. Dr. Auld agreed and ordered a bone scan.
The next day, Dr. Auld phoned me to say that the February 17th bone scan showed a serious displaced fracture of the proximal humerus, Elijah was to stop all upper body work, and he was sending us to Dr. Lisa Phillips, the only sports specialist orthopedic surgeon at the Alberta Children's Hospital. Dr. Phillips was absolutely amazed at Elijah's range of motion considering the 'ball' at the top of the humerus had sheared off. Dr. Auld assumed that it happened at the National Qualifier in January where he competed high bar, parallel bars, floor and vault, as the October MRI and September Diagnostic Ultrasound had been clear and only showed irritation of the growth plate. Dr. Phillips took an x ray 4 weeks following the bone scan and met with Elijah. She reviewed the images taken in September and October and showed us that a fracture of the proximal humerus growth plate was clearly evident back in September. Likely he fractured it in June when the pain began on p bars during tippelt. Since the fracture was missed by the radiologist, the sports doctor and physiotherapist did not prescribe rest. Had he rested 6 weeks in the fall, it would have healed fully. Instead, now it was displaced and, being a growth plate, could not be surgically repaired. Elijah was to stay off the shoulder for 3 months, allow the fracture to heal and the growth plate to close.
This was tough news to hear, but:
“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do
On we go!”
Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit, Riddles in the Dark
Miraculously, this is how the shoulder looked April 29th after the prescribed rest. Dr. Phillips declared the bone fully healed and the growth plate closed. It healed in perfect alignment in 3 of the 4 planes. In one plane, the bone healed slightly off centre meaning his overhead range of motion was affected. Dr. Phillips was convinced that Elijah's body (muscles and ligaments) would compensate and adjust for this unevenness and that he would be able to perform on all 6 events again. If it was a huge hindrance, once grown, she could re break the shoulder and line it up, but that was an unlikely necessity.
During that rest time, Elijah continued to train legs daily, keeping up strength and flexibility in legs and core, and tried to stay positive! He also coached a full session of pre school and kindergym kids on Saturday mornings during this time. He especially loved being with one of his 5yr old boys who needed extra help because of his developmental challenges. It was wonderful to see Elijah grow as a coach and young man during this time.
Some tumbling while shoulder rehab'ing:
In addition, Elijah grew almost 8 inches from the time the shoulder was fractured to the rest period, which meant a lot of adjustments for his tumbling, runs and gymnastics in general. He persevered and regained some of his tumbling skills during this time.
March 24th Elijah completed the all day National Sports School physical testing. It involved a lot of jumping and sprinting with no warm up at all. Two days later his left hip became very sore. This persisted for weeks, resulting in a hip scan (fortunately normal, just growth plate tugging from too tight tendons during the rapid growth time) and many days off floor and vault. We were thankful that no damage had occurred but it was very frustrating for Elijah to cope with another injury when he was already resting the shoulder. Compression shorts kindly provided by 2XU for free, helped ease the strain and in recovery.
May 1st Elijah was given the all clear to begin strengthening the upper body and returning to arm events. By June 5th he was touching all the events and starting some basics again. The shoulder has so many little muscles to strengthen that it is a slow process even though none of the ligaments or tendons were damaged in the shoulder.
It was great that he could 'play' again at the park and not worry about his shoulder being broken.
We had fun times outdoors biking, scootering, climbing, during this time since for months biking especially was off limits.
In June, Elijah was slowly starting back on events and continuing vault and floor (still no hands for the most part) when on June 22nd he 'tweaked' his right knee. He had not had any knee pain for some weeks and was actually being super careful after the hip strain in March. He said a simple front layout punch front layout double twist on rod floor to a soft mat caused some pain below the knee cap. He stopped tumbling and went on to other events. When I picked him up (it was a Thursday), he said, ' maybe no hike in Canmore this Saturday, I tweaked my knee'. To be safe, I booked a physio appointment the next day and Dr. Auld Monday. Physio thought it was just a strain, but Dr. Auld agreed we should get an x ray and ultrasound to be safe. Tuesday the x ray revealed a fracture of the tibia tuberosity at the growth plate. He could still jog on it! I asked for Dr. Phillips to review the x ray. She called Elijah in on Friday to say that there was no ligament or tendon damage, but she recommended open fixation (with screws) to re attach the pieces of bone and would do that July 5th during her on call day.
July 5th Elijah showed up at the Alberta Children's Hospital and fasted until an operating room became available at 5pm. It was a short successful surgery and an hour after, he was hungry and ready to move. We went home that night, Elijah equipped with his brace set to 180 degrees. It would be moved 30 degrees every week and a half after the 2 week check to ensure he regained as much motion and quad strength as possible.
Ready to go home!
2 days later, back at the gym:
And continuing shoulder rehab:
And back in action:
And throughout this time, Elijah continued to play guitar!
Music and Toby Therapy
Now it is August and Elijah says the right leg is doing great: range of motion, strengthening, biking at the gym. The shoulder and right wrist (from 2014 surgery) and elbow soreness is what he notices most. Eugene Marte, physiotherapist at Winsport, is caring for him now, trying some shock wave therapy on the elbow and working on range of motion on the left shoulder. He measures the range of the shoulder each week and is noticing improvements (sometimes by 5 degrees) from week to week in overhead range. Leah Oreel and Gina Perez provide massage support and Dr. DJ Ledrew provides chiropractic care.
We thank God for His faithfulness through these latest trials and know His plan is bigger than the daily circumstances we face.
