Serving Up a Comeback: How Adriana and Dr. Chung Tackled Lumbar Spondylolysis
For 15-year-old Adriana of Prosper, Texas, volleyball is more than a sport. It is a bond she shares with her twin sister, Sofia. After years of playing together at home and school, the sisters joined a beach volleyball club dedicated to helping junior athletes develop their skills. But by midseason, Adriana’s dreams were sidelined by an unrelenting pain in her lower back.
“It started during practice when I was serving,” Adriana says. “At first, it just felt sore, but then it felt like something was stabbing me in the back.” Before long, the pain made even simple activities, like climbing stairs, difficult. A visit to Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center in Frisco led to an evaluation with pediatric sports medicine physician Jane S. Chung, M.D. During the initial exam, Dr. Chung was concerned about a possible stress fracture in Adriana’s lower back. An MRI confirmed lumbar spondylolysis — a stress fracture in the lower spine caused by overuse.
“This type of injury is especially common in young adolescent athletes who participate in sports involving repetitive hyperextension, arching and twisting movements of the lower spine,” Dr. Chung says. “Overhead movements such as serving, blocking and hitting cause repetitive arching of the lower back in volleyball athletes.” Overuse-related stress fractures may also affect athletes in cheer, dance, gymnastics, soccer and football. These injuries need about three months of rest and rehabilitation before a safe and gradual return to play.
“I just thought I strained something or maybe tore a muscle,” Adriana says. “When I learned I’d need to take months off, I was really upset. My season wasn’t over yet, and I still had important games ahead.”
Her treatment included rest, a supportive back brace and a neutral core-specific physical therapy program. Adriana was matched with physical therapist Samantha Plaster, P.T., at Scottish Rite’s Therapy Services location at The Star in Frisco. Plaster had also played beach volleyball.
“I thought it was so great they got us in with a P.T. who played her sport,” says Courtney, Adriana’s mother. “They really took the time to create a connection, and it made a huge difference in her motivation and progress.”
Dr. Chung emphasizes the importance of rest, nutrition, sleep and cross-training for young athletes. “Their growing bodies need time to recover in between the repetitive movements from training and practices,” she says. She also highlights Scottish Rite’s team approach: “Our team works closely together to support each athlete’s unique recovery.”
Although Adriana was disappointed to miss out on playing, she is grateful she took the time to recover. “I’m really glad I listened to my doctors and focused on getting better,” she says. “Now, I feel stronger and more confident about returning to volleyball.”
