The present study was designed to fill a gap in the literature on attentional focus and sports performance. Specifically, in contrast to most previous studies in which an external focus was directed ...at an implement, we used a gymnastics skill that did not involve the use of an implement. Furthermore, while most studies used only outcome measures of performance, we also assessed movement quality. Twelve-year-old gymnasts performed a maximum vertical jump with a 180-degree turn while airborne, with their hands crossing in front of their chest during the turn under three different focus conditions. Under the external focus condition, participants were asked to focus on the direction in which a tape marker, which was attached to their chest, was pointing after the turn. Under the internal focus condition, they were asked to focus on the direction in which their hands were pointing after the turn. Under the control condition, no focus instructions were given. The external focus condition resulted in both superior movement form and greater jump height than did the other two conditions, which produced comparable results. The present findings show that, similar to other tasks, the performance of form-based skills can be enhanced relatively easily by appropriate external focus instructions.
Young gymnasts use their upper extremities as weight-bearing joints, imparting high repetitive loads onto the growing upper limb. The purpose of this review is to provide orthopaedic and sports ...medicine clinicians practical information on the etiology, presentation, and treatment of 5 common upper extremity injuries in the young gymnast: (1) “gymnast wrist” (distal radial physeal injury); (2) grip lock (acute radius and ulna fracture); (3) osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum; (4) medial tensile injuries of the elbow (medial epicondylar apophysitis, medial epicondyle fractures, and partial or full ulnar collateral ligament tears); and (5) glenohumeral instability (including labrum tears). Specific return to gymnastics protocols are provided to guide providers and athletes through safe return to participation following these injuries.
1)Gymnastics is a unique sport in which the arms are used as weight-bearing limbs resulting in distinct injuries.2)Orthopaedic and sports medicine providers should understand these five diagnoses: Gymnast Wrist (distal radial physeal injury and the sequela), Grip Lock (acute radius and ulna fracture), elbow osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), Medial tensile injuries (medial epicondylar apophysitis, medial epicondyle fractures, and partial or full UCL tears), and shoulder instability (including labrum tears) if they will be evaluating gymnasts in their clinic.3)Pre-determined “return-to-gymnastics” protocols may aid successful progression back to training and competition after upper limb injury.
In order to analyse the origins of modern gyms in Spain, it is crucial to look to the mid-nineteenth century, focusing particularly on those cities that experienced the greatest urban and economic ...growth. These cities witnessed the creation of new spaces related to the different gymnastic disciplines (artistic, medical, orthopaedic, recreational, hygienic, and pedagogical). A few primitive gymnasiums governed by empiricist experts in gymnastics (empíricos gimnasiarcas), which, under the medical supervision of doctors, promised to cure all manner of afflictions, sprang up. Many of these edifices sprang up in Madrid during the period 1860-1869, a decade that marked a defining moment in the origins of modern Spanish gymnastics. An analysis of the technical-professional and social spaces in which these exercises took place, the so-called hygienic gymnasium, reveals that these gymnasiums were an important meeting point for social and moral reformers among Spain's elite classes.
Rhythmic Gymnastics is a sport that has historically been considered "feminine". However, since 2016 in Chile, men have joined the sport competitively and recreationally. The aim of this research is ...analyse the insertion of the first men in this sport in Chile. For this purpose, the historical context of Rhythmic Gymnastics in Chile is described, the channels of competition are explained and the experiences of the male gymnasts are described. All this with the purpose of recording this important milestone in the history of Rhythmic Gymnastics in Chile. This research is based on a collective case study, using biographical-narrative approach and semi-structured interviews. The information is analysed in three main dimensions: barriers - facilitators, beginnings and motivation. It is concluded that the interviewed gymnasts have had difficulties to enter a club, but they had good experiences once they managed to get in. There is evidence of a gender bias on the part of their peers and family members. Finally, these gymnasts yearn for a more active participation of men in the discipline, although they recognise that there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve this due to the social context that the country is currently experiencing.
La Gimnasia Rítmica, deporte históricamente considerado de carácter “femenino”. Sin embargo, en Chile, desde el año 2016, se han incorporado varones, tanto en el ámbito competitivo como recreativo. El objetivo de la presente investigación es analizar la inserción de los primeros varones en este deporte en Chile. Para ello, se describe el contexto histórico de la Gimnasia Rítmica en el país, los canales de competencia y las vivencias de los gimnastas. Esto, con el propósito de registrar, un hito importante en la historia de la Gimnasia Rítmica en Chile. La presente investigación se basa en un estudio de caso colectivo, utilizando aproximación biográfica – narrativa y entrevistas semiestructuradas. Se analiza la información en tres grandes dimensiones: barreras - facilitadores, inicios y motivaciones. Se concluye que los deportistas entrevistados han tenido dificultades para entrar a un club, pero, una vez dentro, siempre tuvieron buenas experiencias. Se evidencia un sesgo de género por parte de sus pares y familiares. Finalmente, estos gimnastas anhelan una participación más activa de varones en la disciplina, sin embargo, debido al contexto social que vive el país actualmente, reconocen que falta mucho trabajo para lograrlo.
Rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport that demands high training volume from early age. We investigated the extent of, and risk factors for, injuries among competitive Norwegian rhythmic gymnasts.
...One hundred and seven of 133 (80.5%) female rhythmic gymnasts (mean age: 14.5 years (SD 1.6), mean body mass index: 18.9 (SD 2.2)) participated. All gymnasts completed a baseline questionnaire and the 'Triad-Specific Self-Report Questionnaire'. Injuries, illnesses and training hours were recorded prospectively for 15 weeks during preseason using the 'Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems' (OSTRC-H2).
Response rate to OSTRC-H2 was 97%. Mean overuse and acute injury prevalence were 37% (95% CI: 36% to 39%) and 5% (95% CI: 4% to 6%), respectively. Incidence was 4.2 overuse injuries (95% CI: 3.6 to 4.9) and 1.0 acute injuries (95% CI: 0.5 to 1.6) per gymnast per year. Overuse injuries in knees, lower back and hip/groin represented the greatest burdens. Previous injury increased the odds of injury (OR 30.38, (95% CI: 5.04 to 183.25)), while increased age (OR 0.61 per year, (95% CI: 0.39 to 0.97)) and presence of menarche (OR: 0.20, (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.71)) reduced the odds of all injuries and substantial injuries, respectively.
Overuse injuries were common among Norwegian rhythmic gymnasts. Younger gymnasts had higher all-injury risk. Gymnasts who were not menstruating had higher substantial injury risk. Injury prevention interventions should start at an early age and focus on preventing knee, lower back and hip/groin injuries.
El objetivo analizar y comparar la insatisfacción corporal y medidas antropométricas en dos grupos de adolescentes practicantes y no practicantes de gimnasia acrobática. Participaron 269 adolescentes ...de ambos sexos (165 grupo control y 104 gimnastas) entre 11 y 19 años de edad. La insatisfacción corporal fue evaluada con el Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) y se calcularon el índice de masa corporal (IMC), la razón cintura- estatura y el porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC). Los gimnastas alcanzaron puntuaciones significativamente más elevadas de satisfacción corporal que los no practicantes en ambos sexos, presentando rangos promedio inferiores en todas las variables antropométricas con diferencias significativas. La puntuación global del BSQ se correlacionó con la edad, el pliegue subescapular y %GC en los gimnastas, existiendo solo relaciones entre las medidas antropométricas entre sí en el grupo control. Como conclusión, la insatisfacción corporal es mayor en el grupo control existiendo relación entre la práctica de la gimnasia acrobática y una mayor satisfacción corporal.
This retrospective study focuses on the comparison of different predictive models based on the results of a talent identification test battery for female gymnasts. We studied to what extent these ...models have the potential to optimise selection procedures, and at the same time reduce talent development costs in female artistic gymnastics. The dropout rate of 243 female elite gymnasts was investigated, 5 years past talent selection, using linear (discriminant analysis) and non-linear predictive models (Kohonen feature maps and multilayer perceptron). The coaches classified 51.9% of the participants correct. Discriminant analysis improved the correct classification to 71.6% while the non-linear technique of Kohonen feature maps reached 73.7% correctness. Application of the multilayer perceptron even classified 79.8% of the gymnasts correctly. The combination of different predictive models for talent selection can avoid deselection of high-potential female gymnasts. The selection procedure based upon the different statistical analyses results in decrease of 33.3% of cost because the pool of selected athletes can be reduced to 92 instead of 138 gymnasts (as selected by the coaches). Reduction of the costs allows the limited resources to be fully invested in the high-potential athletes.
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