Photo Drop

My carpool buddy. 

Homework pals. 

Sarah, Juliana and Kate on their 6th grade field trip to Barn Hill Preserve.

Whew! April was busy!! 

 

Jacket Invitational Classic or something like that....DSHS

The Stingers were excited about hosting a day of games at their home court. And we loved watching them play! 

Love this basketball family! 

 

Osgood Slaughter

So. Here we are. Sarah has had this knee pain going on for a while now, so we went to see Dr. Bankston for some answers. And the answer was Osgood Slaughter. Yep. We had no idea what it was either, but apparently it's very common. As soon as we tell someone in the sports world, they know exactly what we are referring to. We are really hoping this will get Sarah some relief. She is taping her knee with KT tape and going to PT now two to three times a week. I have all of the details of the OS at the bottom. They explain it better than I can. 

                             Osgood-Schlatter Disease (Knee Pain)

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in growing adolescents. It is an inflammation of the area just below the knee where the tendon from the kneecap (patellar tendon) attaches to the shinbone (tibia).

Osgood-Schlatter disease most often occurs during growth spurts, when bones, muscles, tendons, and other structures are changing rapidly. Because physical activity puts additional stress on bones and muscles, children who participate in athletics — especially running and jumping sports — are at an increased risk for this condition. However, less active adolescents may also experience this problem.

In most cases of Osgood-Schlatter disease, simple measures like rest, ice, over-the-counter medication, and stretching and strengthening exercises will relieve pain and allow a return to daily activities.

Description

The bones of children and adolescents possess a special area where the bone is growing called the growth plate. Growth plates are areas of cartilage located near the ends of bones. When a child is fully grown, the growth plates harden into solid bone.

Some growth plates serve as attachment sites for tendons, the strong tissues that connect muscles to bones. A bony bump called the tibial tubercle covers the growth plate at the end of the tibia. The group of muscles in the front of the thigh (called the quadriceps) attaches to the tibial tubercle.

When a child is active, the quadriceps muscles pull on the patellar tendon which, in turn, pulls on the tibial tubercle. In some children, this repetitive traction on the tubercle leads to inflammation of the growth plate. The prominence, or bump, of the tibial tubercle may become very pronounced.

Symptoms

Painful symptoms are often brought on by running, jumping, and other sports-related activities. In some cases, both knees have symptoms, although one knee may be worse than the other.

• Knee pain and tenderness at the tibial tubercle
• Swelling at the tibial tubercle
• Tight muscles in the front or back of the thigh

Doctor Examination

During the appointment, your child's doctor will discuss your child's symptoms and general health. They will conduct a thorough examination of the knee to determine the cause of the pain. This will include applying pressure to the tibial tubercle, which should be tender or painful for a child with Osgood-Schlatter disease. In addition, the doctor may also ask your child to walk, run, jump, or kneel to see if the movements bring on painful symptoms.

Your child's doctor may also order an X-ray image of your child's knee to help confirm the diagnosis or rule out any other problems.

Treatment

Treatment for Osgood-Schlatter disease focuses on reducing pain and swelling. This typically requires limiting exercise activity until your child can enjoy activity without discomfort or significant pain afterwards. In some cases, rest from activity is required for several months, followed by a strength conditioning program. However, if your child does not have a large amount of pain or a limp, it may be safe for them to continue participating in sports.

Your child's doctor may recommend additional treatment methods, including:

• Stretching exercises. Stretches for the front and back of the thigh (quadriceps and hamstring muscles) may help relieve pain and prevent the disease from returning.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Drugs like ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen reduce pain and swelling.
• Ice.  Icing the inflamed area may reduce pain and swelling. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.

Outcome

Most symptoms will completely disappear when a child completes the adolescent growth spurt, around age 14 for girls and age 16 for boys. For this reason, surgery is rarely recommended. However, the prominence of the tubercle will persist.

Source: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/osgood-schlatter-disease-knee-pain/

Cheetah Softball

Leah is super excited to start another season of Coach's Pitch Softball and she's on the same team she was last year with her friends. We are ready for some Cheetah softball! 

 

Leah' AR Field Trip

Ugh! AR!! Accelerated Reader. The reading comprehension program that is used district wide to get students to read and to torture parents lol

Each grading period the students are required to get a certain number of points. At Leah's school if you go above and beyond that you get to go on a free field trip as an award.  Well. Leah decided about a month ago she wanted to meet that goal. Good grief! She has been a reading machine trying to get all of the points she needed and she did it! So proud of her!! But maybe next year we start a little earlier...please! 

We are a fan of Mrs. Starns and her love for the kiddos!

 

Stingers - YBOA Sothern Exposure Classic - Mandeville

This weekend the Stingers were in Mandeville. Just an hour or so drive east. Sarah has been on injured reserve now for close to a month after her knee collision. She wants so badly to play, but her knee is holding her back. This weekend, she did get in for a few minutes and I am so glad she did!!

We asked her how it felt and she said: Mentally, amazing. Physically, awful. 

Injuries are the worse and as a mama it's hard to see her struggle so much. I really need a magic wand to heal her all up. 

But the bright side of things...the girls WON their first tournament!! And got a ring!! They were so super excited! And Sarah did get to contribute to some of the games so for her I am happy! 

Go Stingers!!!

 

Easter Sunday

Back home for a South Louisiana Easter Sunday. Easter baskets, warm weather, church and crawfish. Doesn't get much better!