Research

Returning to Sport After Gymnastics Injuries

This peer-reviewed review article discusses return-to-sport considerations following common gymnastics injuries. As a review/discussion piece rather than a single original study, it synthesizes existing literature on injury recovery and return-to-sport decision-making for gymnasts.

Sweeney EA, Howell DR, James DA, Potter MN, Provance AJ. Returning to Sport After Gymnastics Injuries. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2018;17(11):376-390. PMID 30407946.

The Association Between Flexibility and Low Back Pain in Female Adolescent Gymnasts

A peer-reviewed manuscript investigating the relationship between flexibility measures and low back pain in female adolescent gymnasts, published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

Sweeney EA, Daoud AK, Potter MN, Ritchie L, Howell DR. The Association Between Flexibility and Low Back Pain in Female Adolescent Gymnasts. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;29(5):379-383. PMID 31460951.

Low Back Pain in Female Adolescent Gymnasts and Functional Pain Scales

A peer-reviewed study in Physical Therapy in Sport examining low back pain in female adolescent gymnasts using functional pain scales. An earlier, conference-poster version of this same research was presented at the University of Colorado Anschutz Orthopedic Research Symposium (see the abstracts section below).

Sweeney EA, Potter MN, MacDonald JP, Howell DR. Low Back Pain in Female Adolescent Gymnasts and Functional Pain Scales. Phys Ther Sport. 2019;38:66-70. PMID 31055060.

Peak Sagittal plane spine kinematics in female gymnasts with and without a history of low back pain

This biomechanics manuscript, published in Clinical Biomechanics, compares peak sagittal-plane spine motion between gymnasts with and without a history of low back pain. It's a quantitative motion-analysis study contributing to the group's broader spine and back-pain research.

Pimental RE, Potter MN, Carrollo JJ, Howell DR, Sweeney EA. Peak Sagittal plane spine kinematics in female gymnasts with and without a history of low back pain. Clin Biomech. 2020;76:105019. PMID 32402899.

Symptom profiles and postural control after concussion in female artistic athletes

Published in the journal Brain Injury, this manuscript examines concussion symptom profiles and postural control specifically in female artistic gymnasts. It appears to be the full published version of research also presented as a conference poster at the PRISM Annual Meeting (see abstracts below).

Sweeney EA, Wilson JC, Potter MN, Dahab KS, Denay KL, Howell DR. Symptom profiles and postural control after concussion in female artistic athletes. Brain Injury. 2020 May 22;1-6. PMID 32442387.

Health outcomes among former female collegiate gymnasts: the influence of sport specialization, concussion, and disordered eating

Sweeney EA, Howell DR, Seehusen CN, Tilley D, Casey E. Health outcomes among former female collegiate gymnasts: the influence of sport specialization, concussion, and disordered eating. Phys Sportsmed. 2020;1-7. PMID: 33186080. (Note: the page's listed URL for this citation, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2325967121S00042, resolves to an AMSSM abstract, not this manuscript -- flagging discrepancy rather than a live link.)

Intersection of surgical injuries and pain interference among former female collegiate gymnasts

Published in PM&R, this manuscript looks at how prior surgical injuries relate to pain interference among former female collegiate gymnasts. It comes from the same former-athlete research cohort as several other manuscripts and abstracts on this page.

Ferber A, Howell DR, Seehusen CN, Tilley D, Casey E, Sweeney EA. Intersection of surgical injuries and pain interference among former female collegiate gymnasts. PM R. 2021 Sep 9. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12703. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34498793.

The Young Injured Gymnast: A Literature Review and Discussion

A literature review and discussion piece on injuries in young gymnasts, published in Current Sports Medicine Reports. As a review article, it summarizes existing published research on pediatric gymnastics injuries rather than presenting new original data.

Hart E, Meehan WP, Bae DS, d'Hemecourt P, Stracciolini A. The Young Injured Gymnast: A Literature Review and Discussion. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2018 Nov;17(11):366-375. PMID: 30407945.

Gymnast's Wrist: A retrospective analysis of descriptive epidemiology, clinical & radiologic features, treatment & outcomes

This manuscript reports a retrospective analysis of wrist injuries in gymnasts, covering how often they occur, their clinical and imaging features, and how they were treated. It was published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.

Heyworth BE, Sullivan N, Hart E, Bauer A, Bae D. Gymnast's Wrist: A retrospective analysis of descriptive epidemiology, clinical & radiologic features, treatment & outcomes. Orthop J Sports Med. v.7(3 Suppl); 2019 Mar.

The Emotional Roller Coaster of Injury: A Case Series

A case series exploring the emotional experience of sports injury, published in the Journal of Performance Psychology. This piece focuses on the psychological side of injury recovery rather than physical treatment.

Lattimore, D. (2019). The Emotional Roller Coaster of Injury: A Case Series. Journal of Performance Psychology, 11, 1-25.

Common upper extremity gymnastics injuries and gymnastic specific return to play protocols

This 2024 manuscript in the Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) covers common upper-extremity injuries in gymnasts and outlines gymnastics-specific return-to-play protocols for treating clinicians.

Hart E, Bauer AS, Bae DS. (2024) Common upper extremity gymnastics injuries and gymnastic specific return to play protocols. Journal of POSNA, vol 6, Feb 2024.

Gymnastics and concussions: A retrospective chart review

A retrospective chart review of concussions in gymnastics, published in Brain Injury in 2023. This type of study draws on existing medical records to describe concussion patterns rather than reporting a prospective clinical trial. It appears related to an earlier PRISM conference poster of similar title by the same authors (see abstracts below).

Hart E, Howell DR, Brilliant A, O'Brien M, Meehan WP. Gymnastics and concussions: A retrospective chart review. Brain Injury. 2023 Jul 3;37(8):675-679.

Wrist Guards/Supports in Gymnastics: Are They Helping or Hurting You?

Published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, this manuscript examines whether wrist guards and supports help or potentially hurt gymnasts. It's a 2023 peer-reviewed study addressing a commonly debated piece of injury-prevention equipment in the sport.

Hart E, Whited A, Bae DS, Bauer AS, Sugimoto D. Wrist Guards/Supports in Gymnastics: Are They Helping or Hurting You? Am J Sports Med. 2023 Nov; 51(13):3426-3433.

Spinal biomechanics in gymnasts during back walkovers and back handsprings

Potter MN, Pimentel RE, Howell DR, Sweeney EA. Spinal biomechanics in gymnasts during back walkovers and back handsprings. Rocky Mountain American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting, April 6, 2019. Estes Park, CO. Podium Presentation.

Low Back Pain in Female Adolescent Gymnasts and Functional Pain Scales

A peer-reviewed study in Physical Therapy in Sport examining low back pain in female adolescent gymnasts using functional pain scales. An earlier, conference-poster version of this same research was presented at the University of Colorado Anschutz Orthopedic Research Symposium (see the abstracts section below).

Sweeney EA, Potter MN, Howell DR. Low Back Pain in Female Adolescent Gymnasts and Functional Pain Scales. University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Inaugural Orthopedic Research Symposium and D'Ambrosia Diversity Lectureship. May 8, 2019. Aurora, CO. Poster Presentation.

Symptom Profiles and Balance Control After Concussion Among Female Youth Artistic Athletes

Sweeney EA, Wilson JC, Potter MN, Dahab KS, Denay KL, Howell DR. Symptom Profiles and Balance Control After Concussion Among Female Youth Artistic Athletes. PRISM Annual Meeting. January 23-25, 2020. Glendale, AZ. Poster Presentation.

Spinal Range of Motion and Back Pain in Female Artistic Gymnasts During Back Walkovers and Back Handsprings

Sweeney EA, Potter MN, Pimentel RE, Carollo JJ, Howell DR. Spinal Range of Motion and Back Pain in Female Artistic Gymnasts During Back Walkovers and Back Handsprings. PRISM Annual Meeting. January 24, 2020. Glendale, AZ. Podium Presentation.

Spinal Biomechanics and Back Pain Among Female Gymnasts During Extension-Based Skills: A Feasibility Study

Potter MN, Pimentel RE, Kilijanek K, Carollo JJ, Howell DR, Sweeney EA. Spinal Biomechanics and Back Pain Among Female Gymnasts During Extension-Based Skills: A Feasibility Study. Combined Sections Meeting of American Physical Therapy Association. Denver, CO. Poster Presentation.

Brace Use in Barefoot Athletes with Sever's Disease

Sweeney EA, Wilson JC, Doaud AK, Potter MN, Seehusen CN, Howell DR. Brace Use in Barefoot Athletes with Sever's Disease. AMSSM Annual Meeting 2020. Atlanta, GA April 2020. Virtual Poster Presentation due to COVID19.

Time Loss Injuries Among Former Collegiate Gymnasts: The Influence of Female Athlete Triad Symptoms

Fryar C, Howell DR, Seehusen CN, Tilley D, Casey E, Sweeney EA. Time Loss Injuries Among Former Collegiate Gymnasts: The Influence of Female Athlete Triad Symptoms. PRISM Annual Meeting. January 28-30, 2021. Podium Presentation.

Health Outcomes Among Former Female Collegiate Gymnasts: The Influence of Sport Specialization, Concussion and Disordered Eating

Sweeney EA, Howell DR, Seehusen CN, Tilley D, Casey E. Health Outcomes Among Former Female Collegiate Gymnasts: The Influence of Sport Specialization, Concussion and Disordered Eating. PRISM Annual Meeting. January 28-30, 2021. Poster Presentation. (Note: this abstract corresponds to the same study as the 2020 Phys Sportsmed peer-reviewed manuscript of the same title listed on /peerreviewed/.)

Pain Interference, Age of Entry Into Gymnastics, and Surgical Injuries Among Former Collegiate Female Gymnasts

Ferber AT, Howell DR, Seehusen CN, Sweeney EA, Casey E. Pain Interference, Age of Entry Into Gymnastics, and Surgical Injuries Among Former Collegiate Female Gymnasts. American Academy of Physiatry Annual Meeting. February 9-13, 2021. Poster Presentation.

Effects of the Global Pandemic on Youth Gymnasts' Anxiety and Training

Sweeney EA, Seehusen CN, Walker G, Provance A, Howell DR. Effects of the Global Pandemic on Youth Gymnasts' Anxiety and Training. R2021-0033. AMSSM Annual Meeting. April 15, 2021.

Comparison of Braces for Treatment of Sever's Disease in Barefoot Athletes

Sweeney EA, Little CC, Wilson JC, Potter MN, Seehusen CN, Howell DR. Comparison of Braces for Treatment of Sever's Disease in Barefoot Athletes. AMSSM Annual Meeting, Research Podium Presentation. April 11, 2022.

Gymnastics and Concussions

A poster presentation at the PRISM Annual Meeting on gymnastics and concussions, authored by Dr. Elspeth Hart and colleagues. This abstract appears related to the same research group's 2023 peer-reviewed retrospective chart review on gymnastics and concussions published in Brain Injury (listed above).

Hart E, Howell DR, Brilliant A, Meehan WP. Gymnastics and Concussions. PRISM Annual Meeting. Poster Presentation. https://www.prismsports.org/UserFiles/file/26-Hart.pdf

The most common gymnastics injuries

A general-audience web article from chalkbucket.com providing an overview of the most common injuries seen in gymnastics. No author byline is given on the site; it's a broad introductory piece rather than a clinical or research publication.

The most common gymnastics injuries: https://chalkbucket.com/common-gymnastics-injuries/

What it's like to really do gymnastics in a mask

A 2021 FanSided article describing the athlete experience of training and competing in gymnastics while wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. No author byline is shown in the site's own listing text, though the URL slug references gymnast Emi Watterson.

What it's like to really do gymnastics in a mask: https://fansided.com/2021/04/13/gymnastics-mask-emi-watterson/ (No author byline is shown in the site's listing text itself; 'emi-watterson' appears only in the URL slug.)

Rio Reflections

An article from training-conditioning.com offering reflections related to the Rio Olympics and elite gymnastics. It's a trade-magazine-style piece rather than a peer-reviewed publication.

Rio Reflections: https://training-conditioning.com/article/rio-reflections/

Gymnast's Wrist

A book chapter by Hart and Nellans covering gymnast's wrist injuries, published within "Upper Extremity Injuries in Young Athletes," part of the Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine series from Springer. It addresses wrist pathology specific to pediatric and adolescent gymnasts.

Hart EA, Nellans KW. (2019). Gymnast's Wrist. In: Bauer, A., Bae, D. (eds) Upper Extremity Injuries in Young Athletes. Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56651-1_6

Gymnastics Medicine: Evaluation, Management, and Rehabilitation

A full textbook edited by Dr. Emily Sweeney, published by Springer in 2019, covering the evaluation, management, and rehabilitation of gymnastics injuries. This is a comprehensive reference text rather than a single article or study.

Sweeney EA. (2019). Gymnastics Medicine: Evaluation, Management, and Rehabilitation. Editor: Sweeney EA. Springer Publishing 2019. 1st edition. ISBN 978-3-030-26287-7. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-26288-4

Recovering from Injury – Returning to Gymnastics Smarter, Stronger, and Safer

A USA Gymnastics webinar recording from September 2020 focused on returning to gymnastics after injury in a smarter, stronger, and safer way. It's an educational video presentation aimed at athletes, parents, and coaches.

Recovering from Injury – Returning to Gymnastics Smarter, Stronger, and Safer. USA Gymnastics Webinar. September 30, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWnj04uQlIU&feature=youtu.be

Early Sport Specialization and Preventing Injuries in Gymnastics

A USA Gymnastics webinar from November 2020 discussing early sport specialization and strategies for preventing injuries in gymnastics. It's an educational recording rather than a research publication.

Early Sport Specialization and Preventing Injuries in Gymnastics. USA Gymnastics Webinar. November 13, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RenXYu-3e8&feature=youtu.be

Denver News interview on Simone Biles, mental health, and gymnastics

A July 2021 local news interview segment with Fox 31 (KDVR) in Denver discussing Simone Biles, mental health, and gymnastics, featuring commentary from a Colorado doctor and former gymnast. It's a media appearance rather than an academic publication.

Fox 31 – Denver News interview on Simone Biles, mental health, and gymnastics. July 31, 2021. https://kdvr.com/sports/simones-bravery-is-teaching-us-all-a-lesson-colorado-doctor-and-former-gymnast-commends-olympian/

The "Perfect" Gymnast Body, A Toxic Illusion

A video from Shift Movement Science addressing the pressures around body image and the idea of a "perfect" gymnast body. It touches on eating disorders and mental health within gymnastics culture.

The "Perfect" Gymnast Body, A Toxic Illusion. Shift Movement Science. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZH13ZUyGnw&feature=youtu.be

Gymnastics: Injuries and Myths

A 2020 episode of the Healthy Young Athlete Podcast covering common gymnastics injuries and debunking related myths, aimed at a general audience of athletes, parents, and coaches.

Healthy Young Athlete Podcast. Gymnastics: Injuries and Myths. 2020. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/2guystalking-podcast/healthy-young-athlete-podcast/e/70935474

Why We Need to Take Concussions more Seriously in Gymnastics

A September 2020 episode of the Shift Show Podcast making the case for taking concussions more seriously within the sport of gymnastics. It's an awareness-focused audio discussion rather than a research publication.

Shift Show Podcast. Why We Need to Take Concussions more Seriously in Gymnastics. September 8, 2020. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-we-need-to-take-concussions-more-seriously-in-gymnastics/id1441930368?i=1000490424123

The Gymnastics Growth Show with Nick Ruddock, Episode 43

Episode 43 of Nick Ruddock's Gymnastics Growth Show, featuring an interview related to gymnastics medicine. No further episode title or topic description is given on the original site's listing.

The Gymnastics Growth Show with Nick Ruddock, Episode 43. https://nickruddock.com/podcasts/ep043/ (No further episode title or topic description is given on the site's listing.)

The Link Between Fueling and Confidence in Gymnastics

Episode 161 of The Gymnastics Mindset Academy podcast, an interview with registered dietitian Kerry Bair discussing the connection between nutrition and confidence in gymnasts.

The Gymnastics Mindset Academy, Episode 161: The Link Between Fueling and Confidence in Gymnastics. https://anchor.fm/gymmindsetacademy/episodes/161-Interview-with-Kerry-Bair-e1dnjfd

Helping Gymnasts Have A Better Relationship with Food

An episode of The Shift Show podcast featuring dietitian Kerry Bair discussing how to help gymnasts build a healthier relationship with food.

The Shift Show, Helping Gymnasts Have A Better Relationship with Food. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/kerry-bair-rd-on-helping-gymnasts-have-a-better/id1441930368?i=1000524600517

Building Nutrition Habits for a Healthy Gymnastics Foundation

Episode 39 of the Better Late Gymnastics Podcast, an interview with Kerry Bair on building nutrition habits to support a healthy gymnastics foundation.

Better Late Gymnastics Podcast, Episode 39. Building Nutrition Habits for a Healthy Gymnastics Foundation. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kerry-bair-on-building-nutrition-habits-for-a/id1530434316?i=1000531336858

Kelsey Griffith – Mental Skills Specialist and Fellow ACL Athlete – Part 1

Episode 67 of The ACL Athlete Podcast, part one of an interview with Kelsey Griffith, a mental skills specialist and fellow ACL-injury athlete, discussing the psychological side of ACL recovery.

The ACL Athlete Podcast, Episode 67. Kelsey Griffith – Mental Skills Specialist and Fellow ACL Athlete – Part 1. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/067-kelsey-griffith-mental-skills-specialist-and/id1546577054?i=1000560818609

Kelsey Griffith – Mental Skills Specialist and Fellow ACL Athlete – Part 2

Episode 68 of The ACL Athlete Podcast, the second part of the interview with mental skills specialist Kelsey Griffith, continuing the discussion of ACL injury and recovery from a mental-skills perspective.

The ACL Athlete Podcast, Episode 68. Kelsey Griffith – Mental Skills Specialist and Fellow ACL Athlete – Part 2. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/068-kelsey-griffith-mental-skills-specialist-and/id1546577054?i=1000562613941