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PubMed1989

[The coach of artistic gymnastics facing medical problems: results of a survey conducted in French-speaking Switzerland].

The need for high technical skills in gymnastics has resulted in a decrease of the age of talented gymnasts. Young gymnasts are submitted to intensive training, hence to an increase of the risk of injuries. In spite of this evolution, present medical assistance does not appear to be readily accessible to swiss coaches and gymnasts. By necessity, coaches endorse medical functions which have so far not been evaluated. This aspect was therefore investigated among coaches from the french speaking community of our country. The results show that the present medical network hinders regular follow-up of gymnasts and valuable discussions between coaches and doctors with, as a result, inappropriate medical teaching. Coaches distrust advice given by doctors of whom most underestimate the technical aspects of this sport. Medical assistance should be improved on a regional basis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The administration of gymnastics in the United States.

The United States Gymnastics Federation won its struggle for international recognition and has since succeeded creditably on the international level. However, the organization faces monetary problems, with which it has made some progress. Much remains to be done. To satisfy the grassroots grumblings, the U.S.G.F. must deal with this important part of the gymnastics program. The newly elected executive director of the U.S.G.F., Michael Jacki, underscores this as one of his most urgent problems. The United States Association for Independent Gymnastics Coaches, with its great contribution to the sport through its many innovative programs, deserves a greater voice in national and international concerns through the U.S.G.F. structure. The tremendous challenges facing the sport are how to reinstate the men's intercollegiate and interscholastic gymnastics programs that have been dropped and how to expand existing ones. Finally, the U.S.G.F. has to work toward a more cooperative relationship between the men's and women's program. The women have made great strides and should assist the men in this boom. A cohesive attitude should be developed for one sport, gymnastics, for both sexes.

Gymnastics↗
PubMed1982

[High performance gymnasts during the period of growth].

Twenty-two high-performance gymnasts between 12 and 22 years of age were examined for possible vertebral column damage following three years of training in a federal sports center. Half of the gymnasts complained of generalized back pain. Three gymnasts presented with kyphosis, five with a flat back, three with hyperlordosis, and six with an abnormal position of the lumbar spine. Normal X-rays were obtained from four athletes, although seven presented with marked Scheuermann's disease. In three cases, differential diagnosis was necessary between spondylitic deformation with vertebral rim disarticulation and persisting apophysis. Despite the radiologically pathological findings, the gymnasts were mainly asymptomatic. This could be due to the hypertrophied dorsispinal and abdominal musculature which compensates for the pathological osseous structure. There is an urgent need for critical medical consultation in high-performance gymnastics involving children and youth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Knee joint proprioception: a comparison between female intercollegiate gymnasts and controls.

The role of proprioception as a protective mechanism has gained interest in recent years. From the clinical standpoint, several studies have dealt with ways to enhance proprioception following surgery and during rehabilitation. If kinesthesia (ability to detect passive motion) can be enhanced as a consequence of long-term athletic training, such training must be included as a part of the rehabilitation process to protect the patient from reinjury. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to compare the kinesthetic knee pattern between trained gymnasts and healthy nongymnasts. The proprioception testing device (PTD) was used to evaluate knee kinesthesia. From 45 degrees of flexion, the knee was passively extended with the PTD. The device was stopped by the subject when this passive motion was detected. Fifteen healthy college-age female gymnasts (mean age 19.3 years) and 30 normal volunteers (mean age 20.7 years) comprised our study sample. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean values of the dominant gymnastic knee to the dominant knee in the control group. Results revealed statistically significant mean differences between the trained gymnastic group and the untrained control group (F1.34(.95) = 7.17, P = 0.011). The results of this study suggest that extensive training has a positive influence on knee kinesthesia in addition to increasing muscle tone. According to the findings of this and other studies, highly trained athletes possess enhanced neurosensory pathways which are speculated to develop as a result of long-term athletic training. Although definite conclusions cannot be made from our investigation, prospective studies can determine the true role of athletic training in proprioceptive patterns.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Bone density, body composition and menstrual history of sedentary female former gymnasts, aged 20-32 years.

Few studies have examined the effects of retirement from sports involving regular, high impact and weight bearing activity on bone mass. This cross-sectional study compared total body and regional areal bone mineral density (aBMD, g/cm(2)) within female former gymnasts and women who had never participated in structured sport or exercise, and explored relations between aBMD of these former gymnasts and their duration of retirement. Eighteen sedentary female former gymnasts (GYM) and 18 sedentary controls (CON) were recruited. GYM displayed a broad range of duration of retirement (3-12 years) and a wide age range (20-32 years). GYM and CON were paired individually to match for age, body mass and stature. GYM had commenced training at least 3 years pre-menarche and had trained post-menarche for 2 or more years. They had trained continuously for 5-12 years and had retired between age 14 and 22 years. Measurements of aBMD and body composition were made using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Group mean values of physical and skeletal characteristics were compared using paired t-tests. Linear regression was used to explore possible relations of aBMD within GYM to duration of retirement. GYM displayed a higher aBMD than CON at all measurement sites, which ranged in magnitude from 6% for the total body ( P=0.004), to 11% for the total femur ( P=0.006). Elevations of aBMD within GYM equated to T-scores ranging from +0.8 (arms) to +1.7 (legs). There were no differences in body composition or age of menarche between groups, although 11 of 18 GYM reported a history of irregular menses. There was no significant decline of aBMD with increasing duration of retirement in GYM. The results suggested that an elevated bone mass in female former gymnasts was retained during early adulthood, in spite of a cessation of training for up to 12 years.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Long-term recreational gymnastics provides a clear benefit in age-related functional decline and bone loss. A prospective 6-year study.

INTRODUCTION: Bone fragility and decreased functional performance are risk factors for osteoporotic fractures. The influence of long-term recreational gymnastics on the maintenance of bone rigidity and physical performance was evaluated. METHODS: One hundred and seven gymnasts and 110 referents (93% of the original sample) participated in this 6-year prospective study. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to estimate the between-group differences and changes by time, and regression analyses to find predictors for changes. RESULTS: In both groups agility and leg extensor power decreased by over 3% and 10%, respectively, but the original between-group differences, favoring the gymnasts, persisted. Proximal femur bone mineral content (BMC) decreased approximately 0.5% per year in both groups, and femoral neck section modulus decreased. Trabecular density of the distal tibia declined only marginally, and cortical area of the tibial midshaft remained unchanged, while cortical density decreased about 2% in both groups. After adjustment by age, height, weight, change in weight, and follow-up time, antiresorptive medication and high calcium intake accounted most for the maintenance of bone rigidity. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of similar rates of decline in bone characteristics and physical performance, the recreational gymnasts' overall physical condition was comparable to the level that their less active referents had shown approximately 5 years earlier.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

The effect of expertise in gymnastics on proprioceptive sensory integration in human subjects.

The ability of experts in motor skills requiring a fine postural control to keep a stable upright posture while facing the task of reinserting proprioceptive information was investigated. Seven expert gymnasts and seven experts in other non-gymnastics sports were asked to stand as immobile as possible in two conditions of vision and no-vision. Within a trial, ankle proprioceptive input was modified by means of tendon vibration of both antagonistic ankle muscles. Center of foot pressure (COP) displacements were recorded using a force platform. Contrasting with the non-gymnasts, the gymnasts were able to rapidly take advantage of the reinsertion of proprioceptive information to decrease their COP displacements. These results suggest that the efficiency of the integration process leading to the reweighting of sensory information can be significantly improved through a specific training.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hypoleptinaemia in patients with anorexia nervosa and in elite gymnasts with anorexia athletica.

Leptin, the product of the ob-gene, is specifically released by adipocytes. In addition to its metabolic function it seems to affect the feedback-mechanisms of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-axis. We studied 13 female juvenile elite gymnasts with anorexia athletica (AA) and 9 female patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) regarding the relation between leptin, fat stores, and the reproductive hormone levels. Leptin levels in females with anorexia nervosa (Tanner stage B4 [median]; mean age: 17.8 +/- 1.7 years) were low (2.9 +/- 2.7 microg/L), and were related to body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.71; p = 0.03) and percentage body fat mass (r = 0.78; p = 0.01). Leptin levels of the elite gymnasts were even more decreased (1.2 +/- 0.8 microg/L) caused by the low amount of fat stores. Leptin correlated with BMI (r= 0.77; p = 0.004) and the percentage body fat mass (r = 0.6; p = 0.04). In elite gymnasts leptin levels correlated with CA showing an age-dependent increase (r= 0.59; p = 0.04). Oestradiol was secreted at a low level in both groups (AN: 25.6 +/- 17.4 microg/L; AA: 24.4 +/- 13.5 microg/L). A delay in menarche and a retarded bone maturation occurred in AA. Our results clearly show that leptin levels are low in restrained eaters. Leptin levels represent the fat stores in the body and play a permissive role for female pubertal development. There is evidence that the mechanisms leading to a dysregulation of the reproductive-axis in patients with AN are comparable with those leading to delayed puberty in juvenile elite gymnasts with AA. This implies that AN and AA are overlapping groups and AA can lead to the development of AN.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Spatiotemporal consistency of trajectories in gymnastics: a three-dimensional analysis of flic-flac.

Sport performance during the execution of closed skills combines specific body and limb movements into codified patterns where stability and consistency may be more important than variability. Repeated sport movements can be investigated to assess the consistency of body trajectories. More consistent trajectories will result in more repeatable movements. The present study quantified the short-term consistency of body trajectories during the performance of the backward flic-flac, a technique of floor gymnastics. Nine experienced gymnasts (six men, three women), all of national level, performed 10 repetitions of backward flic-flac. An optoelectronic instrument was used for the detection of the three-dimensional movement of 13 body landmarks. The spatiotemporal consistency of repeated landmark trajectories was measured by the standard deviation between standardized trajectories. The results showed smaller standard deviation (larger consistency between landmark trajectories) in female than in male gymnasts. The analysis of the consistency of landmark trajectories could help gymnasts indicating which parts of the body do not repeat a selected movement with sufficient accuracy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Sports medicine aspects of gymnastics].

926 injuries were collected and analyzed through a retrospective questionnaire survey among 289 competitive gymnasts. On the average a male/female athlete suffered 0.35/0.33 injuries per year. The greatest number of injuries occurred during floor exercise. Male gymnasts had a high average number (52%) of upper body injuries. The wrist was most often affected (15.4%). The females suffered more injuries in the lower body (52%). The ankle was the most frequently injured anatomical site (28.5%). A comparison between different level gymnasts shows that a more intensive training does not lead to different injuries. When comparing injuries to expose time fewer occurred in the group of high level gymnasts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Selection of talented female gymnasts, aged 8 to 11, on the basis of motor abilities with special reference to balance: a retrospective study.

Our aim is to propose a selection procedure on the basis of motor abilities. Within this scope, we have particularly studied balance as one of the selection criteria for young female gymnasts. We have used the combination of two standardized tests: the beam-walking test and the stork-standing test. Four groups of young females (aged 8 to 11 years) were tested. The results indicate that the talented group (n = 23, those participating in national training) has better balance in comparison to the control group (n = 37), gymnasts only participating at club level) and the average group (n = 32, girls not taking part in gymnastics). The results are independent of age, height, and weight, which justify the conclusion that balance is stabilized before the age of 8 years. The fourth group (n = 192) are girls who took part in the selection procedure in 1979 and 1980. We divided this group in 1981 into a non-selected group (n = 121), a discharged, selected young talented group (n = 42), a selected young talented group (n = 16), and an older talented group (n = 13). We discuss the results of these groups at the time of the selection procedure. The two talented groups show better results on the balance tests than the discharged, selected group and the non-selected group. There is no relationship to the results of the total selection test. The results indicate that these tests can be used as one of the selection criteria within the selection procedure for young female gymnasts.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1977

Growth and maturity characteristics of schoolboy gymnasts.

Anthropometric and pubertal status data have been collected on 99 schoolboy gymnasts. There are marked differences compared with standard percentile values for British children. This is most evident in the gymnasts' high biacromial diameters and low skinfold measurements. The anthropometric measurements are tabulated according to pubertal rating. The patterns of training are also presented. The atypical growth patterns of the gymnasts might have resulted from the intensive training requirements of the sport, but alternatively their particular physique may have favoured participation in gymnastics.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Disc degeneration and associated abnormalities of the spine in elite gymnasts. A magnetic resonance imaging study.

The thoracolumbar spine was examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the history of back pain was analyzed in 24 male elite gymnasts (age range, 19-29 years) and in 16 male nonathletes (age range, 23-36 years). Disc degeneration, defined as reduced disc signal intensity, was significantly more common in athletes (75%) than in nonathletes (31%). The gymnasts also had a higher incidence of other abnormalities of the thoracolumbar spine, and there was a significant correlation between reduced disc signal intensity and the other abnormalities among the gymnasts. There were also significant correlations between back pain and reduced disc signal intensity and abnormal vertebral configuration when the gymnasts run a high risk of developing severe abnormalities of the thoracolumbar spine, and they often have a history of back pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Eating disorders, energy intake, training volume, and menstrual function in high-level modern rhythmic gymnasts.

This study examined clinical and subclinical eating disorders (EDs) in young Norwegian modern rhythmic gymnasts. Subjects were 12 members of the national team, age 13-20 years, and individually matched nonathletic controls. All subjects participated in a structured clinical interview for EDs, medical examination, and dietary analysis. Two of the gymnasts met the DSM-III-R criteria for anorexia nervosa, and 2 met the criteria for anorexia athletica (a subclinical ED). All the gymnasts were dieting in spite of the fact that they were all extremely lean. The avoidance of maturity, menstrual irregularities, energy deficit, high training volume, and high frequency of injuries were common features among the gymnasts. Ther is a need to learn more about risk factors and the etiology of EDs in different sports. Coaches, parents, and athletes need more information about principles of proper nutrition and methods to achieve ideal body composition for optional health and athletic performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Iron status of highly active adolescents: evidence of depleted iron stores in gymnasts.

Much attention has focused on the nutrition and hematological profile of female athletes, especially gymnasts. The few studies on iron status of male adolescent athletes found a low incidence of iron deficiency. The present studies investigated the iron status of male and female gymnasts (G) and compared it with athletes of other sports. Subjects were 68 elite athletes (43 M, 25F) ages 12-18, of four sports: gymnasts (11M,12F), swimmers (11M,6F), tennis players (10M,4F), and table tennis players (11M,3F). All lived in the national center for gifted athletes, trained over 25 hr a week, ate in the same dining room, and shared a similar life style. Mean levels of hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell indexes, serum ferritin, serum iron, and transferrin were measured in venous blood. There was no difference in mean Rb among gymnasts (G) and nongymnasts (NG). However Hb was less than 14g/dL in 45% of MG vs. only 25% in NG, and less than 13g/dL in 25% of premenarcheal FG vs. 15% in NG. Low transferrin saturation (<20%) was detected in 18% of MG and 25% of FG vs. 6% and 8% in male and female NG, respectively (p<.05). The percentage of males suffering from low ferritin level (<20 ng/ml) was twice as high in G (36%) vs. NG(19%), and about 30% in all females. In summary, iron stores were consistently lower in MG vs. NG. Adolescent athletes of both genders, G in particular, are prone to nonanemic iron deficiency, which might compromise their health and athletic performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Silent meniscal abnormalities in athletes: magnetic resonance imaging of asymptomatic competitive gymnasts.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) produces exceptionally detailed images of the intra-articular structures of the knee. Recognising the range of MRI appearances within a normal population is therefore necessary in order to avoid attributing a greater significance to these than is clinically justified. OBJECTIVE: To compare MRI appearances in asymptomatic gymnasts with those in a less active population in order to identify findings that may be seen in the absence of significant pathology and thereby aid the clinical management of this athletic group. METHODS: MR images were obtained from 24 knees of asymptomatic competitive American collegiate gymnasts aged 18-22. The menisci were evaluated according to established grading criteria, and compared with a group of controls matched for age and sex. RESULTS: Grade 3 intrameniscal signal abnormalities are considered to be highly correlated with meniscal tears. When compared with control group, the experimental group of gymnasts had a significantly different distribution (p<0.001) of grade 3 intrameniscal signal changes, preferentially involving the lateral meniscus. The overall incidence of grade 3 changes (13%) in gymnasts was not, however, significantly different from the incidence in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: A knowledge of these MRI appearances is important when evaluating the lateral menisci within this group of athletes to prevent unnecessary treatment or intervention. This is particularly pertinent when the imaging findings do not closely correlate with the site of symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Occurrence of acute lower limb injuries in artistic gymnasts in relation to event and exercise phase.

OBJECTIVES: To record the incidence of lower limb injuries (acute and overuse syndromes) in Greek artistic gymnasts in relation to the event and exercise phase. METHODS: A total of 162 gymnasts (83 male and 79 female athletes) participating in the Greek artistic gymnastic championships were observed weekly for the 1999-2000 season. RESULTS: Ninety three (61.6%) acute injuries and 58 (38.4%) overuse syndromes were recorded. The most common anatomical location was the ankle (69 cases, 45.7%), followed by the knee (40 cases, 26.5%). The rate of mild injuries was 26.6% (25 cases), that of moderate injuries was 44% (41 cases), and that of major injuries was 29% (27 cases). The incidence of injury to the ankle and knee was significantly higher in the floor exercise, especially during the landing phase, than in the other events. CONCLUSIONS: By its nature, gymnastics predisposes to acute injuries, but up to 75% are mild or moderate. Special attention should be paid to the floor exercise, especially the landing phase.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

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.

Adolescent↗