The Story of Abby Jurchuk

The Story of Abby Jurchuk

The story of Abby is a special one for me. When abby first came to the gym her parents were very skeptical about us helping their daughter. You see in 2007 Abby complained about pain in her left hip. She was a normal 10 year old playing soccer, softball, ball hockey, and swimming. Abby’s mom Jen figured it was a pulled muscle and no big deal.

A few months later Abby was taken to see a local Doctor who confirmed Abby to have Perthes disease of the hip. At this time the doctors also ordered Abby stop playing sports including gym class.

According to parents Jen and Wes, Abby was an extremely active kid (no kidding) and this was devastating news. Abby and family are told she will need a complete hip replacement by age 40.

A year later (2008) Abby goes to a CHEO appointment. She is told competitive or professional sports would never be in her future. She is referred to physio where it is determined that Abby has no muscle tone on the left side of the hip. She is also told that her range of motion is limited.

At this point Abby could NOT stand on her left leg. She was given range of motion exercises to do daily. She was still in lots of pain and taking Children’s Motrin.

Through the next year of 2008-2009 Abby sticks to the routine of no sports, little play, and pain medication at the tender age of 9 years old. She attends regular CHEO and Physio appointments.

At her 2009 CHEO appointment Abby is told her hip is doing better and that she can once again play hockey. She was not allowed to play soccer or basketball due to the ‘impact’ it would have on her joints.

Fast forward to April 2010 and Abby first walks in to the gym ‘Caveman Strong’. Parents Jen and Wes are extremely concerned. They don’t want the progress,  even though slow and steady to be jeopardized. They had been through enough and simply wanted Abby to partake in regular activities.

They asked me “Is there anything you can do with her Tyler?”

I replied “I think so. Let’s start her moving very slowly and see what happens”.

At this time I informed the family of how important nutrition is and that if Abby were to have any kind of massive recovery both training and nutrition would need to be stepped up.

Abby’s first few workouts:

• Basic body movements. Slow air squats and split squats. Lots of upper body work. In the beginning Abby was lifting a PVC pipe and eventually a kids bar. Nothing more.
• A few months go by and Abby is ‘Pain free’. Her parents are amazed and literally say:

“Since joining the gym not once has Abby complained about her hip”.

After a few months of moving and training Abby goes to see her doctors in CHEO. They are amazed by the turn around!  They give her a clean bill of health with the recommendation of no basketball and soccer and they also let her know again that ‘she would need a complete hip replacement by the age 40’..

In 2011 Abby joined our Weightlifting club. Abby is one of the best pound for pound weightlifters in the whole gym – at the age of 11 years old. She moves incredibly well. The squatting and weightlifting she has done since joining with us would demonstrate powerful hips that have the ability to move as good as professional weightlifters.

Furthermore, Abby is one of the best athletes on her hockey team, in her school, and in the weightlifting club. She has grown 4 inches since lifting weights and has leaned out completely. She is much more muscular and noticeably stronger than most girls and boys her age (even older)..

I hope all of us can take a moment and soak in this story.. Imagine people saying weightlifting is bad for kids.. The doctors in this situation would have her on the couch taking up an instrument when in fact moving and moving properly is easy to see the best thing for her or anyone’s rehab. Movement is life. If we don’t move it – we lose it.

Finally, In my 10 year career not many people have had such an impact. I care about all my clients but this certain situation always tended to take a little more of my energy. I was always worried about Abby, checking on her , asking her about her hip, etc etc..

Not anymore..

Now I tell Abby to pick up big heavy weights and catch them over her head. I tell her to squat all the way down with lots of weight too. There’s no one safer in the entire gym then Abby because she moves well – in a straight line if you know what I mean.

At the end of the day, all the coaches love Abby. She is a wonderful kid who is easy to coach. She listens well and works hard in all endeavors.

From Coach to Athlete:

“Abby, what matters most is that YOU worked through this. We guided you and encouraged you but it is you who showed up everyday and slowly rebuilt your hip. Great work”.. “Btw, don’t worry to much about those other recommendations from CHEO.. I doubt the statistics they use have 11 year old competitive weightlifters as subjects..”

At the age of 40 you will still be winning medals in weightlifting. You won’t be at home nursing your new plastic hip.. lol (makes zero sense)

I guess all you have to worry about now days is more and more records..

Great work,

T