Success Story: 11 Year Old Recovers From Shoulder Pain and Wins!

How Physical Therapy Helped a High Level Gymnast Get Back to Her Sport Fast!

Julia has been involved in gymnastics for most of her life! It is her favorite sport and a huge part of her life. She has excelled over the years ranking to the top level of competition. In order to get where she is, she puts in hours of practice, conditioning, strength training and watching videos. With this level of commitment and intensity, does come a risk of injury. This season she was nursing a shoulder strain so she came to see Dr. Amanda to get her shoulder healthy for her next competition.

Her pain mostly occurred with weight-bearing activities like handstands as well as activities on the bar that require a lot of shoulder stability. The first phase of treatment was to get the pain under control and make modifications in her activities at gymnastics to allow inflammation to decrease and healing to start. Dr. Amanda used dry needling to decrease the triggerpoints in her shoulder contributing to her pain and lack of mobility. As her pain decreased we kept progressing her strength to get her back to her previous level of activity. In three weeks she was able to practice fully again and compete. She even placed first on the bars at her next competition.

The last phase of her treatment was focused on building a strong resilient shoulder so the injury wouldn’t return. Julia learned the importance of recovery and how to incorporate her PT exercises during her busy weekly routine. As an all season gymnast, it is crucial to keep her body healthy, listen to her body and address any aches or pains. The quicker you address your injury the quicker you will return to your sport. Julia did just that and as a result her recovery time was quicker and her pain was manageable.

We loved working Julia! She is a highly motivated and dedicated athlete! We can’t wait to see her crush it at the state meet!