| |
|  |
All New Dr. Dot
Posted: Thursday July 22, 1999 03:30 PM
Dot Richardson, star of the gold-medal-winning 1996 U.S. softball team and a member of the '99 national squad, is also an orthopedic surgeon in Los Angeles. Dr. Dot answered this batch of questions exclusively for siforwomen.com. My eight-year-old daughter is very involved in gymnastics. She trains 14
hours a week. On school nights she starts training at 5:30 and doesn't return
home until 9:30 p.m. Do you think this is too much for a girl her age? Will
gymnastics stunt her
growth?
If your daughter puts so much time into gymnastics, she must truly love it. If this is the case, I don't feel the amount of time she voluntarily puts into it is too much as long as she continues to be balanced in other aspects of her life. Regarding your second question about "stunted growth", let me first discuss menstrual irregularities -- a major topic of concern when it comes to female athletes, primarily because of its impact on bone health. Athletes who compete in appearance sports such as gymnastics, figure skating or dance, or endurance sports such as distance running, seem to be at an increased risk. There's a spectrum of menstrual dysfunction, ranging from irregular menstrual cycle length, to absence of menstrual bleeding (amenorrhea). Evaluation of menstrual dysfunction is recommended if menstrual cycles are absent for three months or longer, if there is a recurrent pattern of irregular menstrual periods or if there is no menstrual period by age 16. (Be aware that exercise-induced amenorrhea is a diagnosis of exclusion. A thorough work-up is needed to rule out other potential causes.) Another concern for athletes in appearance sports is the focus on achieving or maintaining an "ideal" weight or body fat percentage which may put them at risk for the development of eating disorders. These disorders may in turn may lead to menstrual dysfunction and subsequent premature osteoporosis which could affect growth and development. This is something to keep in mind with the growth of children whether they are athletes or not. Optimal nutrition and appropriate calcium intake is important to maximize bone health. Athletics is a great way to remain active and healthy. It is also an expression of the gifts an athlete has been given. To deny participation to some would be to miss a part of life. I have had surgery for Morton's Neuroma in my right foot between my second
and third toes. Now it seems like it's developing in the next joint over,
between the third and fourth toes. Is there anything besides surgery that can
alleviate this
problem?
Morton's Neuroma involves a thickening and degeneration of one of the nerves that is between the toes in the forefoot. The most common nerve is the one in the third web space. The nerve thickens due to extensive scarring, believed to be brought on by repetitive trauma. Typically, there is tenderness and pain over the ball of the foot. Shoes that are tight in the forefoot, particularly fashionable women's shoes, can aggravate this compression on the nerve. High heels can also worsen the problem. Initial treatment is non-surgical and includes metatarsal pads, local steroid injections and shoe modification. Surgery is reserved for persistent pain and discomfort after the other non-surgical treatments. In a study, 30% of patients had total relief with an average of three steroid injections and 50% had temporary relief. When followed for two years, these 80% continued to have complete relief or only slight residual pain. I hope this helps you understand a little more about your condition. The option for treatment starts first with the conservative options and surgery is for failed conservative treatment. Continue to follow up with your doctor. I love soccer. I am 13 years old and I know I want to play it all my life. I
really want to play for the national team. How hard is it to make
it?
Kathleen, I can tell you have a passion for soccer. It sounds like you have a special gift, not just for what you do on the field but for what you feel in your heart. The love you have for the sport will bring you closer to the goals you dream about. How hard is it to make the national team? My answer would be another question: Does it matter? If you can imagine it, if you are willing to work hard for it, if you dream about it, it can happen. The sweetest things in life are those that challenge us most. Go for your dream. Let the journey be your passion. Click here to send your question to Dr. Dot.
 Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
