Full-Season Injury Epidemiology in TeamGym-A Prospective Cohort Study Involving 474 Gymnasts

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• TeamGym is a rapidly growing sport with a high prevalence of pain among gymnasts.
• Comprehensive epidemiological data on injuries in TeamGym is lacking.
• Understanding injury patterns is crucial for prevention and athlete care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence rates of injuries in competitive TeamGym gymnasts.
• To analyze injury distribution by body region, type, severity, and time-loss.
• To identify the primary causes of injuries in this population.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study over a 10-month season (August 2021-June 2022).
• 474 gymnasts (aged 10-30 years) were followed via weekly text messages.
• Injuries were verified and categorized through standardized telephone interviews; severe injuries involved ≥4 weeks time-loss.

Main Results:

• A total of 1382 injuries were recorded, with an overall incidence rate of 14.7 injuries per 1000 hours of exposure.
• The most frequently injured regions were the foot (24.5%), knee (22.0%), lower leg (10.4%), and lower back (10.4%).
• Over 60% of injuries were due to overuse, and severe injuries occurred at a rate of 0.5 per 1000 hours.

Conclusions:

• TeamGym exhibits a high injury incidence rate, with overuse being a major contributing factor.
• Feet, knees, and lower back are the most vulnerable body regions.
• While most injuries are non-time-loss, their high frequency underscores the need for targeted injury prevention strategies.