"Mom I think I really hurt my legs"

[Connie Brown]

How to handle this from my 17 yo daughter after lacrosse season: "I think I really hurt my legs."

What prompted her to bring me into it: after 3 laps around a 1/4 mile track, she could hardly stand with pain of shin splints as she calls it. Pain level 8 of 10; next day and usually, 3 of 10. Aching as opposed to stabbing or throbbing pain.

What led up to it:
Starting lacrosse season with 5-6 practices or games a week, 2 hours per session, hard sessions. Much icing after sessions.

Her preparation for the lacrosse season was nil - it was an impromptu decision and she ended up loving it. BTW she seems to run like a sprinter - short legs but fast and smart all over the field if I do say so :D

A couple of times during the season she felt much better with more rest times between practices, but is such a new player that she was not comfortable talking to coaches about this, such as suggesting more rest time or any treatment that was different from the rest of the players.

What would you say? She wants to be boss of her own conditioning and the fact that she is asking me (no athletic credibility in her eyes) is a sign that she is willing to hear solutions or at least get me to take her to a PT or something?

[Scott Sonnon]

Taking her to a PT would be best to assess that no ancillary damage happened.

The two of you have a great relationship, and her intuition obviously smells the issue accurately. Reluctance to speak to her coach or athletic trainer is the only problem, but a common issue since athletes so often place extraordinarily unreasonable expectations upon themselves assuming if they fall short, the coach or their teammates will be disappointed.

Firstly, assure her that a good coach WANTS the kind of feedback her intuition suggested to communicate.

Secondly, you've described that the overtraining she's experiencing resolves with longer breaks, so the issue is problematic.

Lastly, the nature of agile sprinting typical of lacrosse (one of my fav sports) requires longer rest periods in between for recovery. But moreover, she doesn't 'need' the long slow duration track running, since it doesn't match the physiological profile of lacrosse (which is sprint, pass, sprint.) She can drop that conditioning with only positive effects to her performance and health.

[Connie Brown]

Thank you! Will keep you posted.