ABSTRACT
Gymnastics nearly automatically classifies injuries with regard to sex based on the events in which the injury occurs. The gymnastics coach should be aware of the study population, duration and level of the athletes when interpreting injury-related publications and that information is often incomplete. The timing of injuries is of both theoretical and practical interest. Only a few studies have described the timing of injury relative to the competition or practice and showed that the injuries tended to occur early rather than late. Regarding seasonal variations of injuries, three patterns tend to emerge. First, injuries tend to occur more frequently during the early part of the season when skills are still unstable. Second, injuries tend to increase immediately before competition, during early routine preparation and after time off from vacation or an existing injury, and when performing new skills. The preceding serves to emphasize the fact that characterizing gymnastics participation worldwide can be wrought with contextual problems.
