Gymnastics Injuries: Wrist, Back, Achilles, Concussion and When to See a Pro

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

It’s Tuesday night at the gym, the third round of back handsprings on the tumble track, and a 12-year-old shakes out her wrist between turns. “It’s fine,” she tells her coach. It probably was fine last month too. Gymnastics builds remarkable strength and body control at every level, from rec classes to the NCAA and the Olympics, but it asks young bodies to land, push and twist thousands of times a week, often while they’re still growing. This page covers the gymnastics injuries that show up again and again, what the research says about who gets them, how to lower the risk, and the warning signs that mean “stop and get it checked”.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you’re hurt, see a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist (PT) or certified athletic trainer (AT). For the bigger picture of the sport, start at our gymnastics hub.

How often gymnasts get hurt

In NCAA women’s gymnastics, the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program recorded about 9.2 injuries per 1,000 athlete-exposures (one practice or meet) between 2009 and 2014. The injury rate in competition was about 1.7 times the practice rate. The ankle, lower leg and Achilles, trunk and foot were the most common sites, and floor exercise and uneven bars accounted for most injuries that happened on an apparatus. A 10-year study of one Division I program found similar overall rates for men and women; the hand and wrist were the most injured area in men, and the foot and ankle in women. For children, a study of U.S. emergency department visits estimated about 72,500 youth gymnastics injuries a year, with wrist and forearm fractures more common in younger kids, and ankle injuries and concussions more common in teens.

The most common gymnastics injuries

Wrist pain and gymnast’s wrist

Gymnastics is one of the few sports where the arms carry the body: handsprings, vaults, walkovers and bars all load the wrist. A 2026 review of 25 studies of adolescent artistic gymnasts found a pooled wrist pain prevalence of about 53%, and linked it to ages 10 to 14, training intensity, years in the sport and weekly hours. The classic overuse injury is gymnast’s wrist (distal radial epiphysitis): an irritated growth plate at the end of the radius from repeated weight bearing and impact. Children’s Mercy Kansas City describes pain on the thumb side of the wrist that gets worse with impact or weight bearing, sometimes with mild swelling and lost motion. Doctors confirm it with an exam and X-rays. Wrist pain in a growing gymnast that comes back session after session is a reason to see a doctor, not to tape it and keep going.

Low back pain and spondylolysis

Back walkovers, arches and hard landings bend the lower spine backward again and again. A 2026 systematic review put low back pain in competitive gymnasts at 25% to 50%, higher with age and weekly training volume. The injury to know is spondylolysis, a stress fracture in a small part of a lower vertebra (the pars interarticularis). The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) names gymnastics among the sports with repeated stress on the lower back, and describes pain that can feel like a muscle strain, may spread to the buttocks and thighs, and gets worse with activity. In a classic X-ray study of 100 high-level young female gymnasts, 11% had pars defects, about four times the rate in non-athletic girls, and the authors wrote that low back pain in a young gymnast “should be a warning sign”. Most cases are treated without surgery, says AAOS, but it takes a doctor’s diagnosis.

Ankle sprains and Achilles injuries

Landings off beam, dismounts and short tumbling passes make the ankle the most commonly injured site in NCAA women’s gymnastics (about 18% of injuries), with ligament sprains the top diagnosis. The Achilles tendon is a special worry at the college level. In a survey of NCAA programs covering 2013 to 2018, 71 Achilles ruptures were reported; 95% happened on floor, almost all on the take-off of a tumbling pass, and 46% of those gymnasts had pain beforehand. Another survey found most ruptures came after more than ten years of competitive gymnastics. A sudden pop at the back of the heel, or the feeling of being kicked there, needs urgent care. Lingering heel or Achilles pain deserves a visit first.

Elbow injuries

Falls onto an outstretched arm can dislocate or break the elbow, and a review in the American Journal of Sports Medicine describes overuse elbow problems seen in young gymnasts, mostly on the outer side of the elbow: osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum, a plica syndrome, and radial head stress fractures. AAOS explains that OCD happens when a small piece of bone starts to separate because of poor blood supply; the elbow is one of the joints most often affected, and catching or locking are signs it may be getting worse. Elbow pain that keeps coming back, swelling, lost motion or locking should be checked.

Growth-plate problems in young gymnasts

Growth plates are areas of cartilage near the ends of bones, and AAOS notes they are the last part of a child’s bones to harden, which makes them the weak spot. They can break in one fall or be injured slowly by repetitive stress, and AAOS lists gymnastics among the sports involved. Besides the wrist, young gymnasts often feel it at the heel (Sever’s disease; the American Academy of Family Physicians says gymnasts and soccer players often get it) and below the knee. AAOS says a possible growth-plate injury should be seen by a doctor as quickly as possible.

Concussion: recognize it and remove the gymnast

A short landing on the head, a fall from bars or a missed twist can all cause a concussion. The CDC’s HEADS UP program is direct: if you think an athlete may have a concussion, remove them from activity. “When in doubt, sit them out.” They stay out for the rest of that day and until a health care provider clears them. Signs include looking dazed, confusion, clumsiness, mood changes and vomiting; athletes may report headache, dizziness, nausea, blurry vision, light or noise sensitivity, or feeling foggy.

Call 911 or go to the emergency department for the CDC danger signs: one pupil larger than the other, a headache that gets worse and won’t go away, slurred speech, weakness or numbness, repeated vomiting, seizures, growing confusion or agitation, or loss of consciousness. Any fall with neck pain, numbness or tingling: don’t move the athlete, call for help. Return follows the CDC’s gradual steps and the 2022 Amsterdam consensus (relative rest for the first 24–48 hours, then stepwise activity, usually at least 24 hours per step), and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine says there is no same-day return after a diagnosed concussion. For gymnasts, a sensible plan brings back conditioning before spinning, flipping and inverted skills.

Lowering the risk: what helps

• Watch training hours, especially in the growth spurt. Wrist pain and back pain both rise with weekly hours. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends at least 1–2 days off a week from the main sport and a total of 3 months off a year in 1-month blocks, and one study found kids who trained more hours per week than their age in years had higher odds of serious overuse injury.
• Build the trunk, hips and shoulders. In the low back pain review, core stability programs over 8 to 12 weeks reduced pain in competitive gymnasts. Strength work belongs in the plan year-round (see gymnastics training).
• Progress skills, not just numbers. Safe progressions, matting and spotting from a trained coach matter. USA Gymnastics requires its professional members to complete safety and risk management certification and concussion education.
• Fuel enough. Low energy availability affects bone health and is linked to stress injuries. See our gymnastics nutrition page.
• Speak up early. In the Achilles study, almost half of gymnasts had pain before the rupture. A culture where gymnasts report pain without fear of losing their spot is one of the best safety tools a gym can have.

Supports and gear many gymnasts use

Wrist supports are everywhere in gymnastics. The best known is Tiger Paw, an adjustable support sold in pairs and made in the USA. Be honest about what they do: a 2023 lab study of 12-year-old gymnasts doing back handsprings found wrist supports changed wrist angles and also increased one type of wrist joint load, and the authors advised considering injury history and limiting how long young gymnasts wear them. They are not a substitute for a diagnosis or rehab, so ask your doctor, PT or athletic trainer first. After an ankle sprain, many athletes use a lace-up brace like the ASO EVO Ankle Stabilizer for conditioning and running drills, and a foam roller like the TriggerPoint GRID is a staple of warm-ups and cool-downs.

More on braces in our best ankle braces for athletes guide and on rolling in best foam rollers.

When to see a sports medicine doctor, PT or athletic trainer

• Right away (emergency): any concussion danger sign, a fall with neck pain, numbness or weakness, a joint that looks out of place, a possible broken bone, or a pop at the back of the heel.
• Within a day or two: a suspected concussion, you can’t bear weight, or a wrist or elbow that swelled after a fall.
• Soon: wrist pain that returns every practice, low back pain that worsens with arching or lasts more than a couple of weeks, heel or Achilles pain, an elbow that catches or locks, pain at night or at rest, or a child who limps.

A sports medicine physician diagnoses and decides on imaging; a physical therapist guides rehab and the return to weight bearing on the hands, landings and tumbling; a certified athletic trainer is often the first person to see the injury at colleges, high schools and many meets. Return to full skills should be a step-by-step process signed off by the person treating you. Meanwhile, look after the basics on our gymnastics recovery page. Compare with our soccer injuries guide.

Gymnastics injuries: FAQs

What is the most common injury in gymnastics?

In NCAA women’s gymnastics, the ankle is the most commonly injured site and ligament sprains the most common diagnosis. In young gymnasts, wrist pain is extremely common: a 2026 review put its prevalence at about half of adolescent artistic gymnasts.

What is gymnast’s wrist?

It’s an overuse injury of the growth plate at the end of the radius, caused by repeated weight bearing and impact on the hands. It causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist. A doctor diagnoses it with an exam and X-rays and guides a gradual return.

Is back pain normal for gymnasts?

It’s common, but it shouldn’t be ignored. Low back pain in a young gymnast, especially pain with arching, can be a sign of spondylolysis, a stress fracture of the spine. Researchers called it a warning sign back in 1976, and it still is. See a doctor if it lasts or keeps coming back.

Do wrist supports like Tiger Paws prevent injury?

There’s no good evidence that they prevent injury. A lab study found they change how the wrist moves and can raise some joint loads, so its authors suggested limiting how long young gymnasts wear them. Many gymnasts find them comfortable; ask your PT or athletic trainer whether they suit you.

Can a gymnast keep training after hitting her head if she feels fine?

Not if a concussion is suspected. The CDC says remove the athlete for the rest of the day until a health care provider clears them, and symptoms can show up hours later. Return then follows gradual steps.