## 1 Introduction  
Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) is an Olympic sport requiring numerous hours of training from a very young age [1]. Becoming a high-level gymnast requires training for more than 30 h per week for about 46 weeks per year, starting at 11 years old [1]. In France, this intensive training could be done by high-level gymnasts trained within national training centers (Poles France). These structures are recognized by the French Sport Ministry and labeled by the Gymnastics French Federation: \"FFGym, [[https://www.ffgym.fr/Equipe_de_France/Faire_du_Haut_Niveau/Les_poles](https://www.ffgym.fr/Equipe_de_France/Faire_du_Haut_Niveau/Les_poles)]([https://www.ffgym.fr/Equipe_de_France/Faire_du_Haut_Niveau/Les_poles](https://www.ffgym.fr/Equipe_de_France/Faire_du_Haut_Niveau/Les_poles)) (accessed on 19 September 2023)\". Other gymnasts not involved in national training centers can have similar intensive training and compete at the national level by training within the TOP 12 clubs, representing the first division of the French team championship.  
WAG activity generally leads to injury risk [2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8]. A gymnast can have between 2.5 and 3.6 injuries per year [2]. The injury incidence was higher during competition and preseason than during training periods [4]. The prevalence of injuries increased with the number of training hours [6; 8]. Most injuries involved the lower limb [2; 4], and sprains and strains were the most common injury types [5; 7]. This knowledge on WAG injuries mainly comes from studies performed in National College Athletics Association (NCAA) gymnastics [4; 5; 6]. This practice differs from high-level/national-level gymnasts, who are often younger and train more than NCAA gymnasts but have fewer competitions during the season and different sporting and governing body organizations [4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9]. Since injury epidemiology represents the first step of the injury prevention sequence [10], there is a need to extend injury epidemiological knowledge to this specific population of high-level/national-level (i.e., national training centers and TOP 12 clubs in France).  
In addition, [PERSON] et al. [10] suggested developing injury risk reduction measures based on an understanding of internal (e.g., physical defect, physical fitness, age, sex, previous injuries, psychological factors, and physical build) and external (e.g., sports-related factors, venue equipment, weather conditions, and trainer) injury risk factors [10; 11]. Through a systematic review, [PERSON] et al. [2] found that a higher competition level, an older age, a greater body mass, and increased life stress were determinants of injuries. An injury during the previous season was also reported as a risk factor for an injury in gymnastics [6], as were the number of training hours, age, and sports experience [12]. The proportion of injuries was higher in the floor apparatus (39%) and especially during the landings (76%) [2; 13]. However, only a few injury risk factors have been explored and analyzed in gymnastics. It justifies the need to continue their understanding by extending this research to other risk factors, such as lifestyle (e.g., sleep, nutrition, school, and daily organization) and mental health, which can play a role on injuries [14; 15; 16]. Indeed, injuries can impact mental health and quality of life and could have long-term effects physically as well as psychologically and vice versa [15; 17; 18; 19]. [PERSON] et al. [20] reported that the prevalence of depression reached 6.6% in Olympic athletes during their careers. Thus, a better understanding of mental health status and its potential impact on injuries in high-level/national-level gymnasts is needed.  
In this context, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the one-year prevalence of injuries and their characteristics and (2) to analyse potential injury risk factors in high-level/national-level women artistic gymnasts.