playing sports

[Drake's Mom]

My son wanted to play soccer this year so i reluctantly signed him up. this will be the first time since the injury that he has been involved in any sport. ( almost a year ago) He doesn't have a lot of movement in his arm and definitely cannot control where it goes if he falls. I make him wear his sling during practice but his first game is Saturday and i'm worried about him getting hurt. His sling is just a cloth fabric that holds his arm bent to his chest. Does anyone have any suggestion for more support and protection for the arm. Am i crazy for even letting him play?

Teresa
Drake's mom
6 year old viral induced RTBPI since 9-30-06

[hope16_05]

Please let him try any sport he wants to! This will so help his self esteem. Yes, there is a possibility that he will get hurt but that is the same possibility every other person who is participating has. I love to share about my older sister and myself... My parents finally let me play softball after much begging and I started as a 3rd grader. For whatever reason my sister had also asked to play and was told no until I think she was a 9th grader, at the time I was a 7th grader. Well 3 weeks into practice, my perfectly healthy older sister was silding into 3rd base and broke her ankle bad enought to need surgery. Well I am now 20 years old and still play and so far have had nothing worse than a bruise or two.

If you are concerned that his arm is going to get further injuries maybe you could take him to an OT and ask them to make him a sling that would better protect his arm. Dont be afraid to use the OT/PT, it is their job to be creatice and find a solution that works!

GOOD LUCK DRAKE WITH YOUR UPCOMING GAME! I hope you have loads of fun!

Hugs,
Amy 20 years old ROBPI from MN

[PeggyF]

My daughter, Emma-RBPI, played soccer and she had a red neoprine splint (red matched the uniform--you can get them in any color) to wear when she played. Soccer is a great sport for BPIs; it helps with balance issues.
She stopped playing soccer a few years ago (she didn't like running so much); she is now wanting to take riding lessons again (horse).
I know how overprotective we moms can be, but it's good to let our youngsters try something new and it's really great when the succeed!

Peggy
(mom to Emma-ROBPI 11 yrs old)

[njbirk]

There is a great article by the doctors at Boston Children's Hospital in the Fall 2006 issue of Outreach about sports participation by bpi children. They found that the risks inherent in playing sports are no greater for our kids than for any other portion of the population.

Also the data gathered showed that soccer was the most popular sport played by bpi kids.

If you don't have your issue handy, you can now view it online at:
http://ubpn.org/Fall2006.pdf

It starts on page 8.

Nancy Birk
UBPN President

[Mare]

For Frankie I went to CVS and bought a wrist splint this protects his wrist and forearm. Heelbows are great to protect elbows its like a sock with a jelly like pad Frank skate boards and the regular pads push his arm out making it more likely to get broke. When frankie played soccer and baseball his arm also whipped around but in time he got control over it so now he pulls it in to his chest as if it were in a sling. Mare

[BaseballBandit11]

You can not hold him back. I was injured with a TBPI when I was 15 years old. I was so miserable watching my friends play sports that I had to find a way. I strapped down my arm, and I played soccer. Sure there were times when I got hit and it hurt, but even so there were times when I hit my good side and it hurt worse than anything I did to my right. I was so motivated that after my soccer season was over I started training for baseball. I played baseball my Senior year too.

I just feel that if you hold him back now, what are you going to do when he has to leave home and go to college? This is the time that he has to make friends, expend energy, and have fun!!!! If you stop him from that what kind of childhood will he have? Stuck inside playing video games and watching TV? I would have died as a kid if I couldn't play sports and be with my friends.

I plead that you let him play! Don't hold him back. If he comes to you and wants to quit then let him, but don't tell him no before he ever tries.

If you are worried about his sling go to a PT and tell them you worries and I guarantee that they would be glad to find something that will make you feel better.

Have a wonderful day,
Joe Alsbury

[Drake's Mom]

Well Drake had his first soccer game yesterday and all went well. Thanks for all the input. Trust me i have no intention on holding him back because of my fears. I have let him try anything he has felt comfortable doing. One month after being in the hospital for a month, he was jumping on the trampoline and riding his bike. (At that point the only return he had was finger flexion.) This activity was against the hospital's rule of "two feet on the ground for a YEAR"! But he wanted to try and to me any activity was good.

Not that i am not hoping for full return, but i want him to learn now how to function with one arm just in case that's what he is left with, so i think that the younger he is trying new things, the better.

The sling he wore was constantly sliding and letting his arm hang lower than i wanted. Any more suggestions on what he should wear? He is still slightly clumsy in running and has a few balance issues. When his arm is folded and close to his chest it seems to be a little easier to run faster. I quess since he doesn't have the other arm to "flow", it makes running a little off balance. Has anyone had this problem? I am curious how your running was affected Joe? I will let him try baseball also. He has an extremely good "grip" and can hold on to the bat with his affected arm while his left arm does the work.

Thanks for the support, i really wanted to hear from others who have an idea what they are talking about! My concerns were mainly because i have some friends and family who only know of Drake's situation and they still look at him with sorrow and can't see him as able to do things, so i need support from people going thru the same situation, so thanks!


I hope i do this right i have never tried to post a link, but here are some picture's of Drake's first soccer game.

http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q154/JTKDFERGUSON/

Teresa
Drake's mom
6 Year old
viral induced RTBPI since 9-30-06


Message was edited by: Drake's Mom

[Drake's Mom]

Can you get to the picture's?

[BaseballBandit11]

I'm sorry, I just assumed you were using the same sling that I used. Stupid me!!! Get him a sling that has a strap around his back. It will basically imobilize the arm to his chest and give him a better center of balance. You will see a 100% improvement in his running, and his balance. I feel so dumb for forgeting such a big detail. This will help him and it will make his soccer playing much easier. Keep the pictures coming and I want to hear when he scores his first goal.

Good luck Drake!! You look like your going to be a star athlete when its all said and done!

[marieke]

He looks like he had a blast! Good for him, keep going kiddo!
Marieke (31, LOBPI)