Citation

Trikha R, Greig DE, Shi BY, Schroeder GG, Chernoff DJ, Jones KJ, Kremen TJJ. Orthop. J. Sports Med. 2023; 11(2): e23259671231154618.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/23259671231154618

PMID

36860774

PMCID

PMC9969444

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gymnastics requires intense year-round upper and lower extremity strength training typically starting from an early age. As such, the injury patterns observed in these athletes may be unique.

PURPOSE: To characterize the types of injuries and provide return-to-sport data in male and female collegiate gymnasts. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study.

METHODS: A conference-specific injury database was utilized to perform a retrospective review of injuries for male and female National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I gymnasts within the Pacific Coast Conference between 2017 and 2020 (N = 673 gymnasts). Injuries were stratified by anatomic location, sex, time missed, and injury diagnoses. Relative risk (RR) was used to compare results between sexes.

RESULTS: Of the 673 gymnasts, 183 (27.2%) experienced 1093 injuries during the study period. Injuries were sustained in 35 of 145 male athletes (24.1%) as compared with 148 of 528 female athletes (28.0%; RR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.63-1.19]; P =.390). Approximately 66.1% (723/1093) of injuries occurred in a practice setting, compared with 84 of 1093 injuries (7.7%) occurring during competition. Overall, 417 of 1093 injuries (38.2%) resulted in no missed time. Shoulder injuries and elbow/arm injuries were significantly more common in male versus female athletes (RR, 1.99 [95% CI, 1.32-3.01], P =.001; and RR, 2.08 [95% CI, 1.05-4.13], P =.036, respectively). In total, 23 concussions affected 21 of 673 athletes (3.1%); 6 concussions (26.1%) resulted in the inability to return to sport during the same season.

CONCLUSION: For the majority of musculoskeletal injuries, the gymnasts were able to return to sport during the same season. Male athletes were more likely to experience shoulder and elbow/arm injuries, likely because of sex-specific events. Concussions occurred in 3.1% of the gymnasts, highlighting the need for vigilant monitoring. This analysis of the incidence and outcomes of injuries observed in NCAA Division I gymnasts may guide injury prevention protocols as well as provide important prognostic information.

Language: en

Keywords

injuries; return to sport; sex; gymnastics; collegiate