Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2025
10:31
A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
Published on: September 25, 2014
13.5K
Gymnastics and concussions: A retrospective chart review
Elspeth Hart1,2, David R Howell3,4, Anna Brilliant1,2
1The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Boston Children's Hospital Waltham, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
Brain Injury
|May 19, 2023
Summary
Gymnasts frequently sustain concussions during floor exercise. This study analyzed concussion presentation, injury mechanisms, and recovery in young gymnasts, finding floor exercise to be the most common injury event.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Gymnastics involves high-risk maneuvers increasing the potential for head injuries.
- Concussions in young athletes require specific understanding of injury patterns and clinical presentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical presentation, mechanism of injury, and recovery time of concussions in gymnasts.
- To analyze concussion data in relation to specific gymnastics events and athlete demographics.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of gymnasts aged 6-22 years diagnosed with concussions.
- Inclusion criteria focused on concussions sustained during gymnastics training or competition.
- Data collected included sex, age, injury site, diagnosis, mechanism, and time to presentation.
Main Results:
- 62 gymnasts met inclusion criteria from 201 assessed charts over 6 years.
- Floor exercise was the most common event at the time of injury.
- Loss of consciousness occurred in 20% of injuries; no significant association between event type and symptom burden was found.
Conclusions:
- Gymnasts are susceptible to sport-related concussions.
- The majority of concussions treated at a tertiary care center in gymnasts occurred during floor exercise.
