HE may have called time on his gymnastics career, but life has been far from dull in the months since Adam Cox led Team Scotland to silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games last summer.

The 28-year-old from Livingston and wife Kim became proud parents to their first child, Matthew, in January. Throw in a return to teaching and two wrist surgeries to repair a lingering injury, and it is fair to say Cox hasn't had much time to whip out the pipe and slippers.

He was in Glasgow alongside three-time world champion Beth Tweddle last week to launch a new education initiative centred on the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships to be held in the city this autumn.

"It has been non-stop," he says, with a grin.

His face lights up when talking about fatherhood. "I always wanted to be a dad and it's been everything I hoped it would be," says Cox. "Matthew is such a good baby. He is so playful and mellow. Kim and I feel very lucky."

Cox's left wrist bears the fading war wounds of his recent surgeries, the first of which last October was to remove a ganglion cyst which had caused considerable pain during his preparations for the Games. A second surgery followed six weeks ago.

"It turned out there was cartilage damage, thickening in the lining of the joint and issues with the tendon and ligaments," he says. "My wrist is still a bit tender after the second surgery and it will take at least four to six months to be completely back to normal.

"The good news is I'm no longer in the same pain day-to-day. Simple things like lifting a heavy carton of milk out the fridge or filling up the kettle with water would hurt my wrist."

This time a year ago Cox faced a nerve-wracking wait to find out whether he had secured a Team Scotland spot for Glasgow 2014 and the chance to re-write the ending to his two decades in gymnastics.

Cox had quit the sport before the 2010 Commonwealth Games when his coach, Tan Jia En, was made redundant as they prepared to depart for Delhi. He re-emerged from retirement in late 2012 with the goal of gaining closure on his truncated sporting career.

In the year leading up to the Games, Cox chronicled his journey in a no-holds-barred column for the Sunday Herald, documenting his fight for a place on the team.

What unfolded in the SSE Hydro last summer was beyond any send-off Cox could have envisaged as he captained his team-mates Daniel Purvis, Daniel Keatings, Frank Baines and Liam Davie to a historic team silver in front of the home crowd.

"Competing at the Games meant everything to me," he says. "I put blood, sweat and tears into preparing for it. Looking back, some of the columns I wrote were pretty grim reading. There were moments of absolute elation, then others when I was in the depths of despair.

"There was one point, after I injured my shoulder at the 2014 Scottish National Gymnastics Championships, when I thought it was all over for me.

"Sport is a rollercoaster. It is all ups and downs, so it was so great to finish on a high because it could easily have gone the other way. That would have been tough to take."

Cox gives a cheery head shake when asked if he is missing training and competing. "The difference between now and Delhi is that I left this time with such strong, happy emotions," he says. "The best time in my entire gymnastics career was the last three weeks in the build-up to the Games and then competing in Glasgow.

"I enjoyed it so much there was a moment afterwards where I thought: 'Could I keep going with this?' Then you remember the two years of slog, working all day then training at night and not getting home until late. It would have been untenable to continue, especially with the issues I've had with my wrist. Glasgow was the best way to say goodbye."

His focus is now firmly on family life as well as helping nurture the next generation of youngsters in sport in his role as a PE teacher, splitting his time between five primary schools in West Lothian.

"What I enjoy most is inspiring children to be the best they can be," he says. "In the gym each day you are putting them in situations that challenge them mentally and physically.

"Sport is a great way to break down barriers. If there are class disputes going on or children not getting along with each other, you can put them in a team together to work through those issues. I love teaching, it's a great job."

As part of the Legacy 2014 Active Travel Programme, a series of Commonwealth Games commemorative cycle stands have been installed across Scotland. All medal-winning athletes were allowed to pick a location and Cox's - fittingly painted silver - now has pride of place outside Meldrum Primary School in Livingston.

"It's lovely walking into work and seeing the rack with all the bikes lined up," he says. "I not only teach there and live nearby, but it is also likely to be the school Matthew will go to when he's older. It felt like a good fit and was nice to give the kids something else to hopefully be inspired by."

The 2015 World Gymnastics Championships will take place at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow from October 23 until November 1. For tickets, visit 2015worldgymnastics.com