Ankle injuries of elite male Iranian gymnasts and anthropometric characteristics

Abstract

In men's gymnastics, the ankle is the most frequently injured part of the body. However, very few studies have been conducted to determine the roles of various risk factors so that the rate of these injuries can be reduced. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between anthropometric factors (intrinsic risk factors) and the ankle injuries incurred by elite male gymnasts in the Iranian Premier League and Division One.This research was cross sectional correlation study in its nature. The injuries of 43 elite male gymnasts were recorded for the past year based on a questionnaire and interviews. Also their anthropometric characteristics, including weight, height, body mass index, percentage of fat, somatotype, size of the body, girth of the ankle, length of the lower extremities, and girth of the calf, were collected according to criteria established by the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. The correlation method of non-parametric tests (Spearman) and event tree analysis (ETA) were used to identify the relationships between the variables. Seventy-nine percent of gymnasts experienced ankle injuries over the past year, mostly on the floor (58%) and vault (29%), and joint and ligamentous injuries occurred most frequently. Body size had a positive relationship with the injuries (p < 0.05), and no meaningful correlation was identified between number of injuries and other anthropometric characteristics (p < 0.05).Gymnasts and coaches should pay special attention to body size as an intrinsic risk factor and take preventive measures to decrease ankle injuries