Growth Process and Development of the Musculoskeletal System in Young Gymnasts

Growth Process and Development of Muscle, Bone, and Tendon in Correlation With Injuries in Young Gymnasts During Adolescence

assessment of the musculoskeletal system will be performed twice a year, for three years of young gymnasts.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Development, Adolescent
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: examination

Detailed Description

Aims: To examine the changes in the anatomical and morphological features in the skeleton of young female artistic and rhythmic gymnasts and follow the risk of injuries during the period of pubertal growth.

Methods: 200 gymnasts (100 rhythmic and 100 artistic) will participate. Measurements will be performed at the beginning and the end of each year, for three years. Each gymnast will be examined for the following: asked about her menarche, assessed by a physician for Tanner stages, and will answer the Triad-specific self-report questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, BMI), muscle strength (using hand-held dynamometer), joint range of motion (using goniometer), scoliosis, and Beighton test for hypermobility will be assessed. In addition, the gymnasts will be scanned by using three different ultrasounds: Bone age for the skeletal age, SOS for the bone properties, and ultrasound tissue characterization for the tendon structure. The gymnasts will be asked about their physical training history, frequency, and training intensity. Each gymnast will be asked whether she had pain or injuries during the period she has been training, as well as a physical and injuries evaluation that will be conducted by a physician.

Once a month a telephone follow-up with the trainer regarding any pain or injuries in the last month will be conducted.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 200

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Gali Dar, Prof; Phone Number: 0505662054; Email: galidar@yahoo.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Da

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Netanya, Israel
    • Recruiting
    • The Academic college Levinsky-Wingate at the Wingate Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

young female gymnasts training on a regular basis and competitive level

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• training at least 4 times per week,
• a minimum of 16 hours per week, at a competitive level.
• The gymnasts exercised fully three months before the beginning of the study
• have not been absent more than three days from training due to pain, discomfort, or injury.

Exclusion Criteria:

• present injury causing pain
• missing training.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
gymnasts; gymnasts ages 9-16 years. All participants are of competitive level, each participating in at least four competitions per year	Diagnostic test: examination; examination of tendon, muscle joints and injuries

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
ultrasound tissue characterized	percentage of type 1,2,3,4 fibers within the tendon	baseline, twice a year for 3 years
muscle strength test	hand held dynamometer assessment of ankle, knee and hip muscles	baseline, twice a year for 3 years
range of motion	goniometer assessment for lower extremities joints	baseline, twice a year for 3 years
bone strength	tibia bone strength assessment using Sunlight MiniOmni Ultrasound Bone Sonometer	baseline, twice a year for 3 years
Bone Age	bone age of the radius bone using ultrasound for bone age	baseline, twice a year for 3 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Haifa
• Collaborators: The Academic college Levinsky-Wingate at the Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Gali Dar, University of Haifa

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 12, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 12, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): March 19, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 16, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 14, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: athlete; musculoskeletal; menarche
• Other Study ID Numbers: ADINEGEV-2021_102

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No