ABSTRACT
There is an evident paucity of literature regarding the respiratory system in male and female gymnasts. This lack of information is mainly due to the difficulties of operating medical instruments while performing gymnastics. It is indeed very tricky, even with advanced technology, to collect the gas exchange during aerial catch and release skills. This is the case, for example, on the horizontal and parallel bars. Investigators have tried to use portable telemetric gas analysers; unfortunately, the weight of the equipment obliged the gymnasts to make some adjustments to the skills. Aerial figures, for example, were harder to perform. The gymnasts were not only afraid of missing their landings/dismounts and thereby damaging the equipment, but they were also prevented from performing certain elements where they had to go on their backs and/or their fronts. In addition, the face mask and the turbine of the system prevent head flexion and tucked or piked positions on all apparatus (as in the case of somersaults).
