Gymnastic injuries: The Virginia experience 1982-1983

Abstract

Gymnastics has undergone a tremendous increase in popularity largely due to exposure during the Olympics. The injury rate in gymnastics is exceeded only by football, wrestling, and softball. A prospective analysis of club level gymnastic injuries over one season (1982-83) was conducted. Complete responses from 15 clubs (2,558 participants) were obtained. Parameters of clubs followed were: skill level, student, instructor ratio, safety equipment, and conditioning and warm-up exercises. Data obtained from each participant were: injuries sustained, event in which injury occurred, setting of injury, type of injury, and duration of disability. Results were 62 injuries among 542 competitive and 2,016 noncompetitive level athletes (5.3 per 100 competitors and 0.7 per 100 beginners). Of the 62 injuries, 51 were acute and 11 chronic. Twenty-one injuries occurred during floor exercises, 13 on beam, 9 on vault, 6 on uneven parallel bars, and 2 on springboard. Acute injuries included 21 sprains, 16 fractures, 6 contusions, 4 dislocations, and 4 muscle strains. A significant finding was the increased frequency of acute injury seen at dismount. Also there was a positive correlation between duration of frequency of practice (fatigue) and injury rate. We would define a high risk gymnast as one who is performing at an advanced competitive level, performing floor or beam exercises, and practicing more than 20 hours per week.

Agonist versus antagonist muscle fatigue effects on thigh muscle activity and vertical ground reaction during drop landing

“…Epidemiological and experimental studies indicate that fatigue combined with extreme loads, may lead to injury (Pettrone and Ricciardelli, 1987;Urabe et al, 2005). Fatigue affects reaction time (Hakkinen and Komi, 1986), movement co-ordination and motor control precision (Sparto et al, 1997), and reduces the muscle force generation capacity (Nicol et al, 1991a).…”

Reducing ground reaction forces in gymnastics’ landings may increase internal loading

“…It has been reported that between 57% and 82% of injuries in gymnastics are acute, ranging from strains and sprains to fractures and dislocations, and the lower extremity is the most injured, comprising 54% to 70% of all injuries (Andrish, 1985;Jensen, 1998;McAuley et al, 1987;Meeusen and Borms, 1992;Snook, 1979). Thirty one percent of acute injuries are fractures to the femur and tibia/fibula (Pettrone & Ricciardelli, 1987).…”

Espondilólise e espondilolistese em ginastas jovens

“…A coluna vertebral responde por 17,2% do total de lesões na ginástica olím-pica, correspondendo à segunda sede mais frequente de acidentes (3)(4)(5)(6)(7) . A espondilólise compromete 11% das ginastas do sexo feminino, local mais frequente é a quinta vértebra lombar e é caracterizada pela presença de dores lombares que pioram com a corrida e a queda e melhoram com o repouso e a flexão do tronco (1,(8)(9)(10) .…”

“…Em atletas competitivos a incidência de lombalgia pode chegar a 100% (9) . Entre atletas olímpicos, encontraram-se 63% de ginastas com alterações constatáveis ao exame de ressonância magnética (4) , comprovando-se que, quanto mais longo e exaustivo o treinamento, maior será a sobrecarga na coluna vertebral que resultará em lesão nesse segmento (4,(6)(7)(8)(9)12,13) . O objetivo deste trabalho é determinar a incidência de espondilólise e espondilolistese em atletas de ginás-tica artística feminina e sua correlação com dor lombar, história de trauma e carga de treinamento.…”