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Did Team USA Olympic Gymnast Jordan Chiles Have Back Surgery? Apparent Scar Explained
Jordan Chiles is officially an Olympic gold medalist after an astonishing performance during the team gymnastics finals on July 30, 2024. While fans marveled at her skills on the mat, viewers were also curious about a scar-like mark on her back and wondered if the Olympian had previously undergone back surgery.
Did Jordan Chiles Have Back Surgery?
Fortunately, the Ohio native has not experienced any injuries that required back surgery.
As for other physical ailments, Jordan dislocated her toe in 2019. Later that year, she underwent left wrist surgery in August to repair torn cartilage.
In early 2024, she suffered a torn LCL and fractured fibula after performing a highly technical “double Arabian” front flip. Jordan’s mom, Gina Chiles, quickly cleared up confusion about whether her daughter would still be competing during the Paris games.
“Whoops. Looks like I could have eased your minds if I jumped on here sooner. Here’s clarity,” the matriarch wrote via X on July 2, 2024. “Jordan suffered a partially torn LCL and fracture in early spring. At first it was thought to be a hyper extension. Needed off & rest for proper healing. She did.”
Why Do Sports Fans Think Jordan Chiles Had Back Surgery?
After Jordan competed at the 2024 Paris Games in July 2024, fans questioned whether the gymnast had undergone back surgery after noticing a large mark on her back.
In reality, Jordan’s spine is adorned with a yin yang koi fish tattoo. Unlike her other tattoos — many of which are on her hands alone — the ink on her back is rarely seen by fans.
In the past, speculation surrounding a possible back surgery ignited in October 2019 after the professional athlete shared a photo of herself in a hospital room preparing for a procedure. However, it turned out to be for her wrist instead.
“Surgery was a success. Thought I’d give you a good laugh with my Before & After pics,” she wrote via X at the time. “Repaired my wrist so I can train without pain. Excited to get them goals!! But for today I’m just gonna eat ice cream.”
What Other Tattoos Does Jordan Chile Have?
Jordan has many tattoos all over her body. Her left arm is covered in ink — which includes a constellation of stars and a slithering snake — while her right arm simply is home to a special Olympic ring tattoo.
Apart from her koi fish tattoo, Jordan also has two quotes tattooed on her left shoulder: “You have struggled…you have overcome,” and, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Jordan Chiles at the Olympics
Jordan earned her first Olympic silver medal on the vault at the 2020 Tokyo Games. The gymnast added a gold medal to her collection at the 2024 Paris Games, helping Team USA land on the podium during the women’s gymnastics team final.
Before her victory, she opened up in December 2023 about the mindset she adopted to make the Paris-bound team.
“I’m going to put myself out there,” she told Business Insider. “I’m going to go do this and have an amazing time because I didn’t want to regret anything. I didn’t want to look back and be like, ‘Oh, I could have done that,’ or, ‘Oh, I could have been on that podium.'” She officially earned her spot on the team after the Olympic trials in June 2024.
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