INJURY INCIDENCE AND CAUSE IN ELITE GYMNASTS

This report describes the incidence, localization, and cause of injuri es in Swedish male and female elite gymnasts during 18 active months ( three seasons). Thirty-one elite gymnast clubs with all together 437 g ymnasts were included in the study, which consisted of a written quest ionnaire reporting morphometric facts as well as data concerning the i njury. There were in total 82 injury reports. The injury incidence was 6.25 per 100 elite gymnasts and season. A majority of the injuries oc curred in the lower extremities. The right leg was injured more often than the left. Most of the severe injuries occurred during mounting an d dismounting which advocates the need for preventive measures in asso ciation with these particular events. Male gymnasts were more prone to sustain severer injuries such as dislocations and fractures. Severe i njuries affected the upper extremity in 83%, and the right side was in jured more often than the left.