Background Injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) are commonly reported in traditional overhead sports. Conversely, there is a lack of evidence outlining management and return to play (RTP) outcomes for gymnasts. This study aimed to evaluate RTP and patient reported outcomes (PROs) in gymnasts after operative and non-operative treatment of UCL injuries. Methods Gymnasts who presented with UCL injury and underwent operative and non-operative treatment were evaluated. Patient reported outcomes were collected via telephone: Conway-Jobe Scale, Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow (KJOC) Score, Mayo Elbow Performance (MEP) Score, and quick DASH (qDASH) and Timmerman-Andrews (TA) Elbow Score. Results Nine patients met inclusion criteria and were available for follow-up. Five were initially treated operatively and four were initially treated non-operatively. The operative group initially consisted of three ulnar collateral ligament reconstructions (UCLR) and two UCL repairs with internal bracing. One patient crossed over to the operative group after failing non-operative treatment and underwent UCLR four months post injury. Overall, 66.7% and 100% of operatively and non-operatively treated gymnasts were able to return to play, respectively. At final follow-up, the operative groups` mean KJOC, MEP, TA, and qDASH scores were: 68.4 ± 7.7, 97.5 ± 2.7, 90.8 ± 10.7, and 1.9 ± 3.0, respectively. For the non-operative group, the mean scores were 67.4 ± 9.0, 71.7 ± 5.8, 71.7 ± 14.4, and 11.4 ± 9.9, respectively. Treatment satisfaction for the operative group was 81.7 ± 27.5 compared to 80.6 ± 34.5 in the non-operative group. Odds ratios indicated no differences between groups. Conclusion Both operative and non-operative interventions for UCL injuries in gymnasts can provide favorable outcomes with respect to return to play and subjective patient-reported outcomes. Further research is warranted to determine optimal treatment, especially regarding indications for operative vs. nonoperative treatment, of UCL injury based on injury severity and location in gymnasts.
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