With the Paris Olympics in full swing, all eyes are on gymnastics—one of the most anticipated events of the Summer Games. Team USA is vying for gold in the team event after winning silver at the Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. women have advanced to the 2024 team final. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] One of the worst things that could happen to a gymnast in high-level competition—and something that led gymnastics legend Simone Biles to withdraw from the Tokyo games—is a phenomenon known as “the twisties.” Here’s all you need to know about the condition, which has become a conversation point once more now that the 2024 Olympics have commenced. What are the twisties? The Cleveland Clinic describes the twisties as “a mental block that creates a dangerous disconnect between mind and body while gymnasts are airborne.” “All of a sudden, there’s a disconnect in the feedback loop,” Matthew Sacco, a sports psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, explained.