Igor Stanojevic

Artistic gymnastics is one of the most physically demanding sports, characterized by a high incidence of both acute and chronic injuries. Although previous research has primarily focused on biomechanical and training-related factors, the multifactorial etiology of injuries—including molecular and genetic aspects—remains insufficiently explored. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the causes, mechanisms, and prevention of injuries in artistic gymnastics, with particular emphasis on biomechanical, molecular, and genetic determinants of injury risk and athletic performance. The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines and was registered in the PROSPERO database (Registration No: CRD420251167521). Electronic databases (PubMed, KoBSON, and Google Scholar) were searched for studies published between 2015 and 2025 using the keywords “gymnastics injuries,” “overuse injuries,” “injury prevention,” “biomechanics,” “IL-6,” “TNF-α,” and “miRNA biomarkers.” Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed based on injury incidence, localization, mechanisms, and molecular and genetic associations. The majority of injuries were localized in the joints of both upper and lower extremities, particularly during puberty and at higher competitive levels. Repetitive loading, improper technique, and insufficient recovery were identified as the main etiological factors. Molecular biomarkers such as IL-6, TNF-α, and miRNAs (miR-155, miR-146a) were found to play key roles in inflammatory responses, while genetic polymorphisms including ACTN3 R577X, ESR1 rs2234693, and CYP19A1 rs936306 were associated with flexibility, explosive strength, and susceptibility to injury. Injury prevention in artistic gymnastics requires a personalized and multidisciplinary approach that integrates biomechanical, clinical, molecular, and genetic data. Incorporating molecular and genetic profiling into training and rehabilitation programs may enhance early detection of overuse conditions and optimize both health and performance outcomes in gymnasts.

The research was conducted on a sample of 46 examinees consisting of male children of preschool institutions in Niš, aged five and six ± 6 months. The main objective of the research was to determine the adaptive processes influenced by programmed exercise on the development of motor skills of preschool children. The aim was to provide the conditions for the establishment of rational procedures for optimal planning, programming and control of the motor exercise of preschool children. The assessment of the examinees was measured by motor tests based on the experience with adult counterparts and modified for young children. The study examined four motor dimensions: agility (running with direction shift), repetitive strength (lateral hops over the rope), flexibility (bend on the bench) and explosive strength (standing long jump). The data obtained by these tests, using th method of multivariate and univariate analysis of variance, showed that at the end of the programmed exercise, there has been a statistically significant increase in motor abilities in the final measurement he initial.