I am a 16-year-old female gymnast. Some of my teammates have back pain and were told they have stress fractures in their spines. What are the chances I’ll end up with a problem like this?

Given your age, sport, and concerns about a stress fracture in the spine, it is likely you are referring to a condition called spondylolysis. This is a type of fracture that develops over time within the supporting beams of the spinal column. It is caused by repeated strains in the spine bones–strains that often come from doing back-bend routines in gymnastics. You have a higher risk of having a problem like this due to the demands of your sport. In fact, scientists estimate your risk to be four times that of other females your age who don’t do gymnastics.