TY - JOUR
T1 - Foot and ankle injuries in elite female gymnasts
AU - Chilvers, Margaret
AU - Donahue, Michael
AU - Nassar, Larry
AU - Manoli, Arthur
PY - 2007/2/1
Y1 - 2007/2/1
N2 - Background: Gymnastics is a competitive and popular sport that is started at an early age, and elite female gymnasts reach their prime in mid-teenage years. The level of intensity of practice and competition, the number of events, and the degree of difficulty of the maneuvers make gymnastics one of the most injury-producing sports. Methods: Over a 3-year period, 14 elite, female gymnasts were seen in one foot and ankle center. The mean age was 17 (range 14 to 21) years. All gymnasts sustained acute or sub-acute injuries to the foot or ankle requiring surgery. The mechanism of injury, the type of injury, operative repair, and followup were recorded. Results: There were five Lisfranc fracture-dislocations, and five talocalcaneal, two multiple metatarsal, one medial malleolar, one phalangeal, and one sesamoid fracture. All injuries had operative repair. One gymnast with a Lisfranc injury was able to return to full competition; all others with a Lisfranc injury retired from gymnastics, were lost to followup, or graduated from college. One gymnast with a talar osteochondral injury was not able to return to competition but all other injured gymnasts were able to return to gymnastics at the same level or higher. Conclusion: Elite female gymnasts can sustain significant injury to the foot and ankle region. In our study, Lisfranc injuries were most likely career-ending.
AB - Background: Gymnastics is a competitive and popular sport that is started at an early age, and elite female gymnasts reach their prime in mid-teenage years. The level of intensity of practice and competition, the number of events, and the degree of difficulty of the maneuvers make gymnastics one of the most injury-producing sports. Methods: Over a 3-year period, 14 elite, female gymnasts were seen in one foot and ankle center. The mean age was 17 (range 14 to 21) years. All gymnasts sustained acute or sub-acute injuries to the foot or ankle requiring surgery. The mechanism of injury, the type of injury, operative repair, and followup were recorded. Results: There were five Lisfranc fracture-dislocations, and five talocalcaneal, two multiple metatarsal, one medial malleolar, one phalangeal, and one sesamoid fracture. All injuries had operative repair. One gymnast with a Lisfranc injury was able to return to full competition; all others with a Lisfranc injury retired from gymnastics, were lost to followup, or graduated from college. One gymnast with a talar osteochondral injury was not able to return to competition but all other injured gymnasts were able to return to gymnastics at the same level or higher. Conclusion: Elite female gymnasts can sustain significant injury to the foot and ankle region. In our study, Lisfranc injuries were most likely career-ending.
KW - Foot Fracture
KW - Gymnastics, Lisfranc Fracture
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U2 - 10.3113/FAI.2007.0214
DO - 10.3113/FAI.2007.0214
M3 - Article
C2 - 17296142
AN - SCOPUS:33846619666
VL - 28
SP - 214
EP - 218
JO - Foot and Ankle International
JF - Foot and Ankle International
SN - 1071-1007
IS - 2
ER -