Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of fatigue on postural sway in sport-specific positions of young rhythmic gymnasts

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Sport Sciences for Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

In rhythmic gymnastics, balance represents a key element in achieving optimal performance. However, there is a lack of data on the modalities with which postural control is impaired by fatigue originated by actual competitive performance.

Aims

This study aims to analyze the effect of fatigue consequent to a competitive performance on static balance of rhythmic gymnasts (quantitatively assessed by means of postural sway analysis) for several sport-specific positions.

Methods

Fifteen rhythmic gymnasts (mean age 12.7 years) who compete at national and regional levels participated in the study. Their balance was assessed before and after a 90 s performance for 4 unipedal positions (i.e., “ring with hand support”, “back split without hand support”, “arabesque”, and “split with hand support”) using a pressure platform. Center-of-pressure (COP) time series acquired for 10 s was processed to calculate sway area, COP path length, and COP displacements in the antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions.

Results

After the performance, a generalized increase in postural sway was detected for all the positions tested, with the exception of “arabesque”. Sway area doubled for most positions after the performance, while fatigue appears to have a reduced effect on COP displacements in the ML direction, which were found significantly increased only for the “split with hand support” position.

Conclusions

The physical effort associated with the performance influences the effectiveness of the postural control system. Coaches could include specific balance exercises even when gymnasts are fatigued to improve their adaptations to competitive conditions and reduce the risk of injuries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

(partly adapted from [34])

Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AP:

Antero-posterior

COP:

Center of pressure

ML:

Medio-lateral

References

  1. Kioumourtzoglou E, Derri V, Mertzanidou O, Tzetzis G (1997) Experience with perceptual and motor skills in rhythmic gymnastics. Percept Mot Skills 84(3_suppl):1363–1372. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1997.84.3c.1363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. di Cagno A, Fiorilli G, Iuliano E, Aquino G, Giombini A, Battaglia C, Piazza M, Tsopani D, Calcagno G (2014) Time-of-day effects on static and dynamic balance in elite junior athletes and untrained adolescents. Int J Sports Sci Coach 9(4):615–625. https://doi.org/10.1260/1747-9541.9.4.615

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wolff DR, Rose J, Jones VK, Bloch DA, Oehlert JW, Gamble JG (1998) Postural balance measurements for children and adolescents. J Orthop Res 16:271–275. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.1100160215

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Poliszczuk T, Broda D, Poliszczuk D (2012) Changes in somatic parameters and dynamic balance in female rhythmic gymnasts over a space of 2 years. Pol J Sport Tour 19:240–245. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10197-012-0023-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Sobera M, Rutkowska-Kucharska A (2019) (2019) Postural control in female rhythmic gymnasts in selected balance exercises: a study of two cases. Pol J Sport Tour 26(1):3–7. https://doi.org/10.2478/pjst-2019-0001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Calavalle AR, Sisti D, Rocchi MBL, Panebianco R, Del Sal M, Stocchi V (2008) Postural trials: expertise in rhythmic gymnastics increases control in lateral directions. Eur J Appl Physiol 104(4):643–649. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0815-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Shigaki L, Rabello LM, Camargo MZ (2013) Comparative analysis of one-foot balance in rhythmic gymnastics athletes. Rev Bras Med Esporte 19(2):104–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Guimaraes-Ribeiro D, Hernández-Suárez M, Rodríguez-Ruiz D, García-Manso JM (2015) Efecto del entrenamiento sistemático de gimnasia rítmica sobre el control postural de niñas adolescentes. Revista Andaluza de Medicina del Deporte 8(2):54–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ramd.2014.11.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Paillard T (2012) Effects of general and local fatigue on postural control: a review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 36(1):162–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.05.009

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Brito J, Fontes I, Ribeiro F, Raposo A, Krustrup P, Rebelo A (2012) Postural stability decreases in elite young soccer players after a competitive soccer match. Phys Ther Sport 13(3):175–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2011.07.004

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Pau M, Ibba G, Attene G (2014) Fatigue-induced balance impairment in young soccer players. J Athl Train 49(4):454–461. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-49.2.12

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Pau M, Mereu F, Melis M, Leban B, Corona F, Ibba G (2016) Dynamic balance is impaired after a match in young elite soccer players. Phys Ther Sport 22:11–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2016.05.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Clarke N, Farthing JP, Lanovaz JL, Krentz JR (2015) Direct and indirect measurement of neuromuscular fatigue in Canadian football players. Appl Physiol Nutr Methods 40(5):464–473. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2014-0465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Sadowska D, Lichota M, Sacewicz T, Krzepota J (2019) Influence of running phases on the postural balance of modern pentathlon athletes in a laser run event. Int J Environ Res Public Health 16(22):E4440. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16224440

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Sadowska D, Krzepota J, Klusiewicz A (2019) Postural balance and rifle stability in a standing shooting position after specific physical effort in biathletes. J Sports Sci 37(16):1892–1898. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2019.1603136

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Marcolin G, Grainer A, Reggiani C, Bisiacchi P, Cona G, Petrone N, Paoli A (2016) Static and dynamic postural changes after a mountain ultra-marathon of 80 km and 5500 D+. PLoS ONE 11(5):e0155085. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155085

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Hopper DM, Grisbrook TL, Newnham PJ, Edwards DJ (2014) The effects of vestibular stimulation and fatigue on postural control in classical ballet dancers. J Dance Med Sci 18(2):67–73. https://doi.org/10.12678/1089-313x.18.2.67

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Nagy E, Toth K, Janositz G, Kovacs G, Feher-Kiss A, Angyan L, Horvath G (2004) Postural control in athletes participating in an ironman triathlon. Eur J Appl Physiol 92(4–5):407–413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1157-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Verschueren J, Tassignon B, De Pauw K, Proost M, Teugels A, Van Cutsem J et al (2020) Does acute fatigue negatively affect intrinsic risk factors of the lower extremity injury risk profile? A systematic and critical review. Sports Med 50(4):767–784. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01235-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Han J, Anson J, Waddington G, Adams R, Liu Y (2015) The role of ankle proprioception for balance control in relation to sports performance and injury. Biomed Res Int. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/842804

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Edouard P, Steffen K, Junge A, Leglise M, Soligard T, Engebretsen L (2018) Gymnastics injury incidence during the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games: analysis of prospectively collected surveillance data from 963 registered gymnasts during Olympic Games. Br J Sports Med 52(7):475–481. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097972

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Georgopoulos N, Markou K, Theodoropoulou A, Paraskevopoulou P, Varaki L, Kazantzi Z, Leglise M, Vagenakis AG (1999) Growth and pubertal development in elite female rhythmic gymnasts. J Clin Endocr Metab 84(12):4525–4530. https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.84.12.6177

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Fédération Internationale De Gymnastique (FIG) 2017–2020 Rhythmic Gymnastics Code of Points. https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_RG%2520CoP%25202017-2020%2520with%2520Errata%2520Dec.%252017.pdf. Accessed 13 Apr 2020

  24. Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences, 2nd edn. Erlbaum, Hillsdale

    Google Scholar 

  25. Gribble PA, Hertel J (2004) Effect of lower-extremity muscle fatigue on postural control. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 85(4):589–592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.031

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Boyas S, Remaud A, Rivers E, Bilodeau M (2013) Fatiguing exercise intensity influences the relationship between parameters reflecting neuromuscular function and postural control variables. PLoS ONE 8(8):e72482. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0072482

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Sloanhoffer H, Harrison K, McCrory JL (2018) Dynamic stability in gymnasts, non-balance athletes, and active controls. Int J Exerc Sci 1(11):1–12. https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2075&context=ijes. Accessed 13 Apr 2020

  28. Bennell KL (2001) Changes in hip and ankle range of motion and hip muscle strength in 8–11 year old novice female ballet dancers and controls: a 12 month follow up study. Br J Sports Med 35(1):54–59. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.35.1.54

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Gupta A (2004) An evaluation of differences in hip external rotation strength and range of motion between female dancers and non-dancers. Br J Sports Med 38(6):778–783. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2003.010827

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Winter DA, Prince F, Stergiou P, Powell C (1993) Medial-lateral and anterior-posterior motor responses associated with centre of pressure changes in quiet standing. Neurosci Res Commun 12(3):141–148

    Google Scholar 

  31. Isacco L, Ennequin G, Cassirame J, Tordi N (2019) Physiological pattern changes in response to a simulated competition in Elite Womenʼs artistic gymnasts. J Strength Cond Res 33(10):2768–2777. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000002184

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Douda H, Laparidis K, Tokmakidis S (2002) Long-term training induces specific adaptations on the physique of rhythmic sports and female artistic gymnasts. Eur J Sport Sci 2(3):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461390200072304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Frutuoso AS, Diefenthaeler F, Vaz MA, de Freitas CLR (2016) Lower limb asymmetries in rhythmic gymnastics athletes. Int J Sports Phys Ther 11(1):34–43

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Rutkowska-Kucharska A, Szpala A, Jaroszczuk S, Sobera M. (2018) Muscle coactivation during stability exercises in rhythmic gymnastics: a two-case study. Appl Bionics Biomech 2018:8260402. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8260402

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all the athletes who participated in the study, their parents, and the A.S.D. Gymnos Pirri (Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, Cagliari, Italy) for their valuable support in the organization of test sessions. The authors also thank Ms. Chiara Pau who made the drawings of the technical positions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Piazza d’Armi, 09123, Cagliari, Italy

    Massimiliano Pau, Isabella Laconi & Bruno Leban

Authors
  1. Massimiliano Pau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Isabella Laconi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bruno Leban
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Massimiliano Pau.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The study was carried out in compliance with the ethical principles for research involving human subjects expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments and was approved by the Departmental Review Board.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained for all participants included in this study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pau, M., Laconi, I. & Leban, B. Effect of fatigue on postural sway in sport-specific positions of young rhythmic gymnasts. Sport Sci Health 17, 145–152 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-020-00664-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-020-00664-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation