Prevention and Treatment of Injuries and Urinary Incontinence Among Norwegian Rhythmic Gymnasts

BACKGROUND

Norwegian rhythmic gymnasts have high prevalence and incidence of overuse injuries. Previous research on risk factors related to injuries in rhythmic gymnastics (RG) has implied that high weekly training load, hypermobility, poor technic and inappropriate training load increase the risk of injuries. A prospective study also found that previous injury increased the risk of injuries substantially (Gram, M., Clarsen, B., \& Bø, K., 2021). Hence, injury prevention interventions should start at an early age to avoid the first injury. In addition, since the aetiology and mechanisms of injuries are multifactorial, with a well described complex interaction of internal and external risk factors making a gymnast more or less prone to sustain an injury, there might be a need to assess some internal risk factors more thoroughly. The modifiable internal risk factor physical capacity, e.g. strength, flexibility, stability, might be of particular interest, since lack of physical capacity can be thought of as a potential underlying cause in all of the above-mentioned risk factors. In addition, it is well known how persistent lack of physical capacity relative to the requirements in a sport might lead to injuries. With knees, lower back and hip/groin as the most commonly reported injury locations, clinical assessment of strength, flexibility and stability in these locations has been conducted in a cross-sectional study before this randomized controlled trial (RCT). Reduced physical capacity revealed in the cross-sectional study will be targeted/brought forward in the exercise program in the RCT.

The most common types of pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFD) are urinary incontinence (UI), anal incontinence (AI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). UI has high prevalence among female athletes participating in sports including jumping and running (high impact). A prevalence of 80% was found in young, nulliparous high-level trampoline jumpers in Sweden (Eliasson et.al., 2008). The prevalence among Norwegian rhythmic gymnasts was >30%, while Thyssen et.al. found that 56% of female Danish artistic gymnasts and 43% of dancers reported UI. UI negatively affects sports performance, and symptoms at young age is a risk factor of future UI developing during pregnancy and after childbirth. Hence, interventions toward prevention and treatment is necessary. While strength training of the pelvic floor muscles has 1A level of evidence/recommendation to treat UI in the general female population, and has no known adverse effects, there is little knowledge of this among young female athletes and dancers. Search on PubMed revealed only one RCT assessing the effect of pelvic floor muscle training on UI in female athletes. Ferreira et.al. randomized 32 female volleyball players to 3 months of pelvic floor muscle training or control, and found statistically significant improvement in the exercise group in frequency of leakage and urine loss measured during physical activity(p< 0.001). Hence, there seem to be a potential for prevention and treatment also in athletes exposed to heavy load towards the pelvic floor.

AIMS

The aims of this RCT are to investigate if implementation of prophylactic exercises targeting reduced capacity and pelvic floor dysfunction can prevent/lower the prevalence of overuse injuries and UI among Norwegian rhythmic gymnasts.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

All rhythmic gymnastics clubs that are members of the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation and have gymnasts fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be invited to participate. The clubs are then randomly allocated to either an exercise or control group. Randomization will be provided by a person not involved in assessments of outcome.

All gymnasts in both groups will answer the "Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems" (OSTRC-H2) at baseline (including a part with background questions) and once each month during the intervention period. In addition, the gymnasts will answer the "International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form" (ICIQ-UI-SF) before and after the intervention period. After the intervention, the intervention group will answer the Global rating of change (GRC), a numerical 11-point scale to assess self-experienced effect and progress related to overuse injuries and UI.

• Exercises for knees, lower back, hip/groin and pelvic floor muscles in an expanded warm up program (Other): Rhythmic gymnastics clubs allocated to the intervention group will be visited by a physiotherapist (the PhD candidate), which will perform thorough teaching of coaches and gymnasts on how to perform the exercises in the expanded warm up program. During the same visit, before commencing PFMT, the gymnasts will have an individual session were a portable 2D ultrasound machine (GE Healthcare -Logiq e R7, GE>12L-RS - 5-13 MHz Wideband Linear Probe) will be used to teach and assess ability to perform a correct PFM contraction. The probe is placed suprapubically and provides concurrent visible biofeedback of the PFM contraction. Adherence to the intervention will be registered weekly by the coach in a training diary and asked for as an additional question in the monthly OSTRC-H2 sent to the gymnasts. Reminders will be sent by phone to the coaches every week. To assure proper execution and motivation, the PhD candidate will perform one extra visit midterm.

Primary outcomes

• Reduction in prevalence of overuse injuries in the knees, lower back and hip/groin [The gymnasts in both groups will answer the OSTRC-H2 at baseline (October 2022) and one time each month throughout the intervention period (last registration in June 2023)]: The Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H2) is a valid questionnaire to assess prevalence and severity of injuries in different anatomical areas.
• Reduction in prevalence and bother of UI [The gymnasts in both groups will answer the ICIQ-UI-SF one time at baseline (October 2022) and one time when the intervention period has ended (June 2023)]: The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) is a reliable and valid questionnaire assessing prevalence, amount of leakage, bother and type of UI.

Secondary outcomes

• Self-experienced effect and progress related to overuse injuries in the knees, lower back and hip/groin [The gymnasts in the intervention group will answer the GRC on time when the intervention period has ended (June 2023)]: Assessed by Global rating of change (GRC), a numerical 11-point scale, which has shown good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.9).
• Self-experienced effect and progress related to UI [The gymnasts in the intervention group will answer the GRC one time when the intervention period has ended (June 2023)]: Assessed by Global rating of change (GRC), a numerical 11-point scale, which has shown good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.9).

Sex: Female, ages: 12 Years to any, accepts healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

* All rhythmic gymnastics clubs that are members of the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation and have gymnasts fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be invited to participate.
* Female rhythmic gymnasts ≥12 years of age training ≥3 days per week

Exclusion Criteria:

* Female rhythmic gymnasts <12 years of age training <3 days per week

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• Results publication: Gram MCD, Fagerland MW, Bo K. Efficacy of a Rhythmic Gymnastics-Specific Injury Prevention Program: An Assessor-Blinded Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2025 Feb;35(2):e70022. doi: 10.1111/sms.70022. PMID 39891397

• Statistical Analysis Plan (PDF, 2024-04-12)

• Kari Bø, PhD, Study chair, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences