Injuries in French High-Level and National-Level Women Artistic Gymnastics: One-Year Prevalence and Associated Factors

Abstract

Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to determine the one-year prevalence of injuries and their characteristics and (2) to analyze potential injury risk factors in high-level/national-level women artistic gymnasts. Methods: Competitive women artistic gymnasts training more than 10 h per week in a national training center and a TOP 12 club in France were invited to participate in a retrospective study through an online questionnaire about their self-reported injuries and potential injury risk factors (e.g., previous injuries, diseases, weight modification) during the 2020/2021 season. Results: A total of 88 gymnasts between 9 and 23 years old, who trained on average 22.0 ± 6.2 h per week, answered the questionnaire. Ninety-five injuries were reported by 62 (70.5%) of the 88 gymnasts. The one-year injury prevalence was 70.5% (95% CI 60.9 to 80.0%). Gymnasts had, on average, 1.1 ± 1.0 injuries per year. The most common reported injury location was the knee (25.3%), and the most common reported injury type was the ligament (26.3%). Having an injury during the previous season (OR = 9.06; CI 95% 2.66 to 36.73; p = 0.0007) and using a prevention program (OR = 3.97; CI 95% 1.46 to 11.15; p = 0.007) were associated with a higher risk of injury in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: More than 70% of French high-level/national-level gymnasts had at least one injury during the 2020/2021 season. This high injury rate supports the need to promote injury prevention. However, in the present study, using a prevention program was associated with a higher risk of injury. There is thus a need to improve injury prevention strategies to counter the high injury risk and its potential consequences.