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Injuries that can keep Olympians from the gold

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles vowed to continue her quest for Olympic gold after injuring her calf in a qualifying round at the Paris games.

Meanwhile, a thigh injury forced French soccer captain Wendie Renardout out of competition in a loss to Canada.

And the L.A. Clippers' Kawhi Leonard was forced to sit out the games entirely due to inflammation in his right knee, which was injured twice before.

While Olympic athletes can make their sports look effortless, constant overuse of muscles and tendons can lead to big-time injuries that do more than cost them a medal, according to an orthopedic expert from Baylor College of Medicine. And the risks run through all sports—from gymnastics and distance running to swimming.

Biles' comeback after withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo games has been a major focus of U.S. fans during the 2024 games. She's competing in four events—vault, floor, beam and all-around.

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  • American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
  • Arthroscopy Association of North America
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
  • Florida Orthopaedic Society