Gymnastics Injuries Research Articles

Epidemiology of injury in elite and subelite female gymnasts: a comparison of retrospective and prospective findings.

OBJECTIVES: An 18 month prospective injury survey was conducted on 64 Australian elite and subelite female gymnasts. The aims were to determine the rate of injury, anatomical location, and types...

Injury, Stress, and Perfectionism in Young Dancers and Gymnasts

Injuries, psychological stress, and perfectionism were examined in three groups of young elite performers: ballet dancers, modern dancers, and artistic gymnasts. Similar to the adult population, a high incidence of injury was found for all three groups. Results revealed a greater number of hip injuries in young ballet dancers and gymnasts than typically found in the adult population. Variations were found among the groups in injury management, and duration of time training was modified. Relationships between injury and stress, and injury and perfectionism were not uniform across groups. The study points to the importance of distinguishing between positive and negative stressors in role specific activities. The complexities of the stress/injury phenomenon and the multifaceted nature of the perfectionism variable were identified. The authors emphasize the need for further research and education in the area of youth injuries and psychological correlates in order to minimize the negative effects on young elite performers.

Wrist disorders in the young athlete

In the young athlete, forced dorsiflexion causes most wrist injuries. Sudden dorsiflexion from a fall onto theoutstretched hand results in fractures, ligament tears, and joint disruptions. Repetitive dorsiflexion, which occurs in activities such as weightlifting or gymnastics, leads to overuse injuries including physeal stress fractures, bone stress fractures, triangular fibrocartilage complex tears, impingement syndromes, progressive laxity and arthritic degeneration. Wrist braces have not been successful in preventing fractures. Wrist taping or bracing is inadequate to prevent wrist overuse injuries in gymnasts. Treatment of wrist injuries involves rest, splinting or casting, and both open and arthroscopic surgical techniques.

Injuries in National Level Rhythmic Gymnasts

Injuries in National Level Rhythmic Gymnasts

Oral, maxillofacial and general injuries in gymnasts

It is estimated that between 4 and 18 per cent of all sports injuries involve the maxillofacial region. Among the various sporting activities, gymnastics has been rated as a high-injury risk discipline. The aim of this study was to document the extent and type of oral, maxillofacial and general injuries among gymnasts. The majority of injuries occurred during training and the severity of the injury was strongly associated with the skill level of the gymnast; in other words, advanced level gymnasts suffered more serious injuries, e.g. concussion and direct orofacial injuries. However, 7 per cent had experienced damage to the 'hard' tissues of the mouth during the past 12 months. No gymnast interviewed wore a mouth guard and their knowledge of dental first aid was poor. The study highlights the clear need for a structured health promotion initiative, aimed at those participating in and coaching gymnastics.

HIV, Gymnastics Injuries, and Free Radicals

HIV, Gymnastics Injuries, and Free Radicals

Injury in Australian female competitive gymnasts: A psychological perspective

A nationwide sample of 162 Australian elite and non-elite competitive female gymnasts was administered a questionnaire to collect personal and training data, as well as information about injuries sustained in the previous 12 months. In addition, to assess the role of psychological variables in injury, the subjects were requested to complete measures of life stress, competitive anxiety, self-esteem, and locus of control. The sample reported 321 injuries, a rate of 1.98 injuries per gymnast (2.36 for the elite gymnasts and 1.83 for the non-elite gymnasts). It was found that for the overall sample and for the non-elite gymnasts, life stress was a significant predictor of injury. For the elite gymnasts, a more internal locus of control significantly predicted injury. The findings indicate the importance of the sports physiotherapist's awareness of the role of stress both as a predisposing factor to injury and also as a variable that should be considered during the rehabilitation process.

Epidemiology of injury in Australian female gymnasts

A nationwide sample of 162 Australian elite and nonelite competitive female gymnasts were administered a questionnaire to collect personal and training data as well as information about the number, location, and type of injuries sustained in the previous 12 months. The gymnasts reported 321 injuries, a rate of 1.98 per gymnast (2.36 for the elite and 1.83 for the nonelite subjects). Of the total sample 78.4% reported sustaining one or more injuries (89.4% of the elite gymnasts and 73.9% of the nonelite gymnasts). Injuries to the ankle and foot (31.7%) were the most prevalent, followed by injuries to the lower back (15.0%). Sprains (29.6%) were the most commonly reported type of injury, followed by strains (20.6%) and growth plate injuries (11.5%). In terms of the amount of time lost due to injury, the elite gymnasts spent 20.2% of the year's training time at less than full capacity, compared with 13.9% for the nonelite gymnasts. These findings have implications for performance potential and training methods.

Injury incidence and cause in elite gymnasts.

This report describes the incidence, localization, and cause of injuries in Swedish male and female elite gymnasts during 18 active months (three seasons). Thirty-one elite gymnast clubs with all together 437 gymnasts were included in the study, which consisted of a written questionnaire reporting morphometric facts as well as data concerning the injury. There were in total 82 injury reports. The injury incidence was 6.25 per 100 elite gymnasts and season. A majority of the injuries occurred in the lower extremities. The right leg was injured more often than the left. Most of the severe injuries occurred during mounting and dismounting which advocates the need for preventive measures in association with these particular events. Male gymnasts were more prone to sustain severer injuries such as dislocations and fractures. Severe injuries affected the upper extremity in 83%, and the right side was injured more often than the left.

Wrist injuries in adolescent gymnasts of a Chinese opera school: radiographic survey.

To determine the prevalence of chronic wrist injuries among adolescent gymnasts and the consequences of repetitive stress. Students of a Chinese opera school underwent radiography of both wrists and answered a questionnaire. They were separated into study (n = 261) and control (n = 63) groups according to participation in or abstinence from exercise training, respectively. They were further separated into fused and unfused physis subgroups. The ulnar variance was measured on posteroanterior radiographs. Abnormalities of distal radii were investigated. An increase in both mean ulnar variance and frequency of ulnar-plus variance was noted in the study subgroups. Fourteen (8.2%) of 170 wrists of the fused physis study subgroup had an exceedingly large ulnar-plus variance. Sixty-one (17.3%) of 352 wrists had abnormal morphology of the distal radii in the unfused physis study subgroup. Widening of the physis was the most common finding. Chronic, repetitive stress in the wrists of adolescent gymnasts results in a localized growth disturbance of the distal radius with resultant ulnar-plus variance. Stress injuries of the physis may lead to permanent sequelae, even in asymptomatic individuals.

Injuries in Female Gymnasts.

In brief We surveyed 100 young female gymnasts about injuries that occurred over a 40-month period. Though the injury rates were similar to those found in other studies of injuries among competitive female gymnasts, we observed several notable findings regarding injury patterns. Based on our results, we suggest several prevention methods that may reduce injury, such as modifying mat design and prescribing strengthening and stretching exercises.

Musculoskeletal injuries in child athletes

EDITOR, - In the article on musculoskeletal injuries in child athletes1 little reference is made to gymnastic injuries around the …

Epidemiology of injuries in gymnastics

A prospective one‐year epidemiological study was carried out to determine the injury incidence and the injury mechanisms in different groups of gymnasts and to identify possible risk factors. A total of 115 gymnasts with a median age of 16 (8‐25) were followed through a whole season of median 48 weeks (ranges 40–51). The overall injury incidence was 85 per 100 gymnasts per season, ranging from 27 in subelite males to 157 in subelite females. This high incidence is partly explained by the use of a sensitive injury definition, the high exposure time, and the large proportion of highly competitive gymnasts in the population. Considering the exposure time, however, the incidence is lower than in most other sports, 1.6 per 1000 h of gymnastic activity. Subelite female gymnasts were more commonly injured than other artistic gymnasts, in particular in relation to balance beam exercises and inadequate spotting. Injuries were predominantly localized to the lower extremities (64%) for the whole population of gymnasts. A siwcantly large proportion of the male artistic gymnasts, nevertheless, sustained upper extremity injuries corresponding to their apparatus performance. Most injuries were of mild or moderate severity, the recovery time was, however, considerable (median 30 days, ranges 1–365), and the injuries sustained during competition had a median recovery period of 180 days (7‐270). Twenty‐two per cent of the injuries resulted in a recovery period of more than 6 months. Re‐evaluation of the criteria of the score system for dismount as well as an increased use of spotters during practice and high‐risk events are possible measures to prevent serious injuries.

Injury, anxiety, and mood in competitive gymnasts.

Psychological factors related to injury were investigated in 115 competitive gymnasts. The subjects were administered the Profile of Mood States-Bipolar Form (POMS-BI) and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). Direct discriminant function analysis showed that the best predictors for distinguishing between gymnasts with four or more injuries and those with fewer than four injuries were CSAI-2 Cognitive Anxiety and the POMS-BI Composed-Anxious and Energetic-Tired scores. The more-injured gymnasts were more anxious and tired, and reported higher scores on the CSAI-2 Cognitive Anxiety scale. Males could be differentiated from females by scores on the CSAI-2 Self-confidence and the POMS-BI Composed-Anxious, Confident-Unsure, Energetic-Tired, and Clearheaded-Confused scales. The female gymnasts were more anxious, unsure, tired, and confused, and reported lower levels of CSAI-2 Self-confidence. The findings were interpreted as further evidence of the anxiety-injury link in athletes.

Women's gymnastic injuries: A 5-year study: W. A. Sands, B. B. Schultz, and A. P. Newman. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 21(2), 271–276

Two experimental studies were conducted to test and compare whether different pre-performance routines (i.e., left-hand dynamic handgrip and an extensive routine) can improve (and potentially have a combined effect on) accuracy in closed, self-paced motor tasks.Study 1 used a standardised laboratory task to measure motor performance, while Study 2 was a field experiment measuring tenpin bowling accuracy and in-game performance as outcome variables. Both studies consisted of a pretest phase followed by one or two test phases using a group-specific pre-performance routine (PPR), or control, condition.Results of both studies indicated that the inexperienced students (Study 1) and experienced athletes (Study 2) within the intervention groups were more accurate when using the intervention than a control group (not provided an intervention). Using a combined (i.e., left-hand dynamic handgrip and extensive) PPR may not have additive performance effects. Furthermore, using a PPR intervention did not equate to better in-game performance in Study 2.These studies indicate that the element of left-hand dynamic handgrip as a PPR may be comparable to control groups, but further research is needed to determine if it is comparable to extensive PPR interventions that promote concentration on the task for increased performance generally (and under pressure).

Women's gymnastics injuries. A 5-year study.

A 5-year prospective study on the time course of women's gymnastics injuries was conducted on a successful NCAA Division I team. Gymnasts recorded injuries on a computer terminal or via computer dot sheets immediately before each training session, including the injured body part, the event or activity, and the date of the injury. The definition of injury was "any damaged body part that would interfere with training." Athletes recorded injuries on the 1st day of onset and subsequently until the injury was healed. The initial onset of injury was considered a new injury. Subsequent records of the injury were considered continuing injury. Thirty-seven athletes participated through five collegiate seasons. They accounted for 5602 total training exposures with an average of 151.4 exposures per athlete. The analyses showed that gymnasts trained with an injury approximately 71% of the exposures, and a new injury could be expected from a gymnast during approximately 9% of the exposures. The largest number of injuries were of the repetitive stress syndrome type. The time series information showed that total injuries tended to increase until the middle of the competitive season, while new injuries showed prominent increases during specific training periods and during competition preparation and performance.

And for my Next Trick …

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Gymnastic injuries.

In the past 15 to 20 years gymnastics has become very popular. The increased participation exposes a greater number of athletes to potential injury. The risk of gymnastic injuries seems to be proportional to the level of the athletes; the higher the level of gymnastics, the more hours are spent in practice, with a greater exposure time. With the increased risk in gymnastics, the incidence of acute injuries will also increase, and as the skill level increases, the load during the workout will also increase, providing more opportunity for chronic injuries. As in many sports, the ankle is the most injured body part. Some injuries, however, seem to be specific to gymnastics. In gymnastics the upper extremities are used as weightbearing limbs, so high impact loads are distributed through the elbow and wrist joint. Back problems appear to result not only from single episodes of macrotrauma, but also from repeated microtrauma caused by specific impact loads during vaults and hyperextension. Early detection is the key to treating elbow, wrist and back pain in the gymnast. Reinjury following an acute injury may be reduced by allowing for complete rehabilitation before returning to full practice. Some studies indicate that maturation rate could play a potential role in injury predisposition. The combination of periods of rapid growth and intense training could provide for conditions where the gymnast is more injury prone.

Spine injuries in gymnasts and swimmers

Three groups of top level female gymnasts of preelite, elite, national and Olympic caliber were studied without regard to back pain or injury. These athletes were compared to a similar group of national caliber female swimmers. Magnetic resonance imaging scans of each participant were used to document disk or bony abnormalities. The relationship between magnetic resonance imaging findings and age, height, weight, previous injuries, back symptoms, and hours of training per week each year was examined. Nine percent of preelite (1/11), 43% of elite (6/14), and 63% of Olympic level (5/8) gymnasts had spine abnormalities; 15.8% of all swimmers had spine abnormalities. Average hours of training per week and age were found to be associated with abnormalities seen on magnetic resonance imaging. Increased intensity and length of training correlated with previous data that suggests the female gymnast is prone to spine injuries.

Spondylogenic Disorders in Gymnasts

Spondylogenic injuries in gymnasts are not uncommon. As participation in organized gymnastics increases, health care professionals will be caring for more gymnasts who have spondylogenic disorders. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature regarding evaluation and treatment of various spondylogenic injuries. After defining various disorders, the mechanism of stress reaction in bone is presented. This aids the reader's understanding of how stress reactions can occur and progress in the gymnast. According to the literature, the gymnast usually presents with fairly reliable signs and symptoms, especially pain with hyperextension of the lumbar spine during single leg stance. Radiological studies are of significant diagnostic assistance, especially when a bone scan is used in conjunction with x-rays. Medical treatment methods vary widely, from complete immobilization to simple activity limitation. The rehabilitation and preventative aspects of care, as they relate to physical therapy, are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on spinal stabilization exercises to increase strength and muscular coordination. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1991;14(1):6-13.