title: Foot and ankle injuries in elite female gymnasts.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elite female gymnasts can sustain significant injury to the foot and ankle region. In our study, Lisfranc injuries were most likely career-ending.
authors.affiliation: Michigan International Foot and Ankle Center, 44555 Woodward Avenue, Suite 105, Pontiac, MI 48341, USA. pegchilvers@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chilvers
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donahue
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies