“I was nervous that my gymnastics career would take a detour.” These were the raw, emotional words of a young girl whose dreams once hung by a thread. At just sixteen, she was a rising star in the gymnastics world, focused, determined, and full of hope. But then came a persistent back pain in 2022 that wouldn’t go away.
What seemed like a minor training injury soon became something far more serious. A visit to a physical therapist led to X-rays, which revealed a 32-degree curvature in her spine – a diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis, compounded by a lower-back stress fracture. Suddenly, everything she had worked for felt at risk. But did she give up? No!
That young girl is Olivia Kelly, a 19-year-old gymnast from the Bronx, New York. “The main concern when I was diagnosed with scoliosis was that I wouldn’t be able to do gymnastics to the same capacity,” she shared. For a teenager with Olympic dreams, the diagnosis was devastating. But thanks to the support of Dr. Benjamin Roye, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Olivia found a path forward. With a carefully tailored non-surgical treatment plan that included wearing a brace and practicing the Schroth Method – a scoliosis-specific therapy using posture correction, strengthening, and breathing exercises- Olivia began the long journey back to the sport she loved. Now, three years later, Olivia is not only back but soaring.
She competes as a Division I gymnast for the University of Missouri Tigers (Mizzou) and continues to represent Barbados in international competitions. Her story of resilience has captured public attention this June, during Scoliosis Awareness Month, as Mizzou Gymnastics shared a heartfelt post on X, featuring two powerful images: Olivia proudly posing in her leotard, and an X-ray image showing the curved spine she’s lived with and overcome. The post read, “Despite the challenges, Olivia Kelly made her dreams a reality. June is Scoliosis Awareness Month, and Olivia is living proof that scoliosis doesn’t define your limits #MIZ .”
Despite the challenges, Olivia Kelly made her dreams a reality.
June is Scoliosis Awareness Month, and Olivia is living proof that scoliosis doesn’t define your limits #MIZ pic.twitter.com/e9Ghvh0YKw
— Mizzou Gymnastics (@MizzouGym) June 25, 2025
In her own words, Olivia shared, “Scoliosis awareness is important to me because it keeps people educated on scoliosis and the things that people deal with every day. I hope that sharing my story can help inspire people struggling and motivate them to keep doing the things they love — no matter the obstacle. Scoliosis has impacted me in many ways, physically and mentally. Living with it taught me grit, body awareness, and has made me mentally stronger as a whole.” Olivia’s journey shows that no diagnosis can define your potential when you choose courage over fear. But is she completely fine now? Because she didn’t just have scoliosis, she battled one more condition, too.
Inspired by Gabby Douglas, a 19-year-old gymnastics star fought through spinal conditions
Olivia Kelly was just a toddler when she fell in love with a balance beam, and now, she’s balancing dreams bigger than ever imagined. From her earliest days in “mommy and me” gymnastics classes, Olivia Kelly had an energy that couldn’t be contained. By age six, she was already competing. Motivated by 2012 Olympic champion Gabby Douglas, Olivia set her sights on the Olympics, hoping to represent Barbados in honor of her grandfather. But the path to her dream was far from easy.
At 16, Olivia was diagnosed not only with idiopathic scoliosis but also with spondylolysis, a stress fracture in her lower back caused by intense training. Yet, with expert care, a custom brace, and hours of physical therapy, she rose. She trained relentlessly, juggling homeschooling with five-day-a-week training sessions that lasted up to six hours. She started competing internationally on behalf of Barbados in 2022, and by 2025, she made history as a standout NCAA Division I gymnast at the University of Missouri (Mizzou). “Hopefully if my back holds up, I can get to the 2028 Olympics for Barbados,” she says.
The freshman year at Mizzou is already a record year for Olivia. She received WCGA Second Team All-American honors on both bars and beam and was the 57th-ranked gymnast nationally on beam, as well as providing a sparkling career-high 9.925 on bars. She also assisted Mizzou in putting in place its best beam result in program history and was able to become the first freshman to achieve four or more results of 9.900+. But beyond numbers, it’s her spirit that shines. “I’m very excited for my NCAA journey as well as the international journey to see what it has in store for me,” she says. Olivia While athletes are rightfully lauded for overcoming injuries, Kelly’s story is on a different level. She is more than a gymnastics star; she’s proof that resilience, heritage, and heart can bend with life’s challenges… and never break.
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