Simone Biles and ‘the Twisties’

An underlying reason that is overlooked but crucial to explain the condition

Proprioception is key for a gymnast to know where they are in space( and time)

Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Olympic Games due to a condition known as the twisties. This condition caused her to lose her sense of spatial awareness while in the air, making it difficult for her to perform safely. As a result, she felt compelled to withdraw from the competition midway through the Games.

What are the twisties?

“The twisties” in gymnastics refer to a mental block where a gymnast suddenly loses their sense of spatial awareness while performing twisting maneuvers in the air. This phenomenon can cause severe disorientation, making it difficult for the athlete to know where they are in relation to the ground. As a result, they may struggle to land safely, increasing the risk of injury. The twisties are particularly dangerous because they disrupt the gymnast’s automatic, well-practiced routines, turning what should be muscle memory into an unpredictable and stressful experience. This condition often requires time and psychological support to overcome.

Proprioception refers to a gymnast’s ability to sense their position in space and the placement of their limbs. However, an often-overlooked skill, especially for top-level athletes like gymnasts, is their ability to perceive the passage of time with extreme accuracy.

For example, waking up just before an alarm goes off suggests a well-tuned internal sense of time. For gymnasts performing high-level feats, both spatial awareness and precise timing are crucial.

When someone experiences a mental health issue, their sense of time may be altered, which can be particularly dangerous for a gymnast who relies on exact timing to safely execute and land their moves.

Psychological time reveals information about an individual’s psychological state and psychopathological traits and, thus, has become a new perspective through which the occurrence and development of depression can be examined.

To overcome ‘the twisties,’ Simone Biles needed to focus on her mental health and reduce the stress in her life. Through psychological therapy, she was able to address the underlying trauma and abuse she suffered at the hands of USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

Simone Biles’ story is an inspiring example of how stress, combined with underlying psychological trauma, can weaken the mind-body connection.