Table 1. Mean (±SD) clinical characteristics of rhythmic gymnasts (RG) and untrained controls (UC), and their changes over the 3-year period (∆ score).
Variable
RG (n = 25)
UC (n = 25)
∆ RG (n = 25)
∆ UC (n = 25)
Age (yrs)
T0
8.0 (0.6)
8.2 (0.6)
3.0 (0.1)
3.0 (0.2)
T3
10.9 (0.6) #
11.2 (0.5) #
Bone age (yrs)
T0
7.8 (1.2)
7.8 (1.1)
3.2 (0.8)
3.4 (0.7)
T3
10.9 (0.9) #
11.2 (0.9) #
Body height (m)
T0
1.30 (0.05)
1.30 (0.05)
.17 (0.02)
.19 (0.02) ‡
T3
1.47 (0.06) #
1.49 (0.07) #
Body mass (kg)
T0
27.0 (3.4)
28.9 (5.0)
10.2 (2.8)
13.7 (4.5) ‡
T3
37.1 (5.0) #
42.7 (8.5) *#
BMI (kg·m-2)
T0
15.9 (1.3)
17.0 (2.2) *
1.1 (.9)
2.1 (1.7) ‡
T3
17.0 (1.6) #
19.1 (3.0)*#
Body fat %
T0
19.8 (5.3)
26.0 (6.2) *
1.4 (3.3)
4.1 (4.8) ‡
T3
21.2 (4.9) #
30.1 (8.5) *#
Fat mass (kg)
T0
5.1 (1.9)
7.4 (2.7) *
2.4 (1.5)
5.4 (2.9) ‡
T3
7.4 (2.5) #
12.8 (5.0) *#
Fat free mass (kg)
T0
20.2 (2.0)
20.1 (2.5)
7.1 (2.0)
7.6 (2.3)
T3
27.3 (3.3) #
27.7 (4.3) #
WB BMD (g·cm-2)
T0
.88 (.04)
.84 (.05) *
.08 (.03)
.09 (.02)
T3
.96 (.05) #
.93 (.07) #
FN BMD (g·cm-2)
T0
.78 (.07)
.72 (009) *
.14(.06)
.10(.06) ‡
T3
.92 (.10) #
.82 (0.12) *#
CMJ (cm)
T0
23.2 (2.4)
19.2 (2.0) *
3.1 (2.5)
4.2 (2.3)
T3
26.2 (2.6) #
23.4 (2.7) *#
RJ15s (cm)
T0
20.2 (1.8)
16.2 (2.3) *
2.8 (2.1)
3.4 (2.4)
T3
23.0 (2.7)
19.6 (2.4) *#
‡ Statistically significant differences between ∆ RG and ∆ UC; p < 0.05.
* Statistically significant differences between RG and UC; p < 0.05.
WB, whole body; BMC, bone mineral content; BMD, bone mineral density; FN, femoral neck; CMJ, countermovement jump; RJ15s, the rebound jumps for 15 seconds.
# Statistically significant changes between T3 and T0; p < 0.05.