Sports-related pain prevalence in TeamGym during normal and reduced training periods: A survey of 579 Danish gymnasts

OBJECTIVES: To describe the pain prevalence and its regional body distribution in TeamGym gymnasts, and secondly, to compare pain prevalence during a period with normal training load with a period with reduced training load.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Data from (1) a period with normal training load (Aug-Dec 2020), and (2) a period with reduced training load (COVID-19 restrictions, Jan-June 2021) were included.

PARTICIPANTS: TeamGym gymnasts aged 10-30 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported history of pain/discomfort.

RESULTS: In total, 65 % of the invited gymnasts completed the survey at both time points, which included 579 gymnasts. The pain prevalence due to gymnastics was 80 % with the most prevalent pain regions being knee (20 % [95 %CI 18.1; 21.8]), wrist (17 % [95 %CI 15.5; 19.0]) and foot (16 % [95 %CI 14.4; 17.8]). Gradual pain onset was described in 42 % of all cases. During the reduced training period, the number of painful regions decreased by 26 %, but regional body pain distribution remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS: Four of five gymnasts experienced pain/discomfort during a normal five-month training period. Knee, wrist and foot were the most common painful regions with gradual pain onset as the most frequently reported. Reduced training load decreased the absolute pain prevalence, but regional body distribution was unaffected.