The effect of biological maturity status on ground reaction force production during sprinting

Abstract

Sprint ability develops nonlinearly across childhood and adolescence. However, the underpinning ground reaction force (GRF) production is not fully understood. This study aimed to uncover the kinetic factors that explain these maturation‐related sprint performance differences in Japanese boys and girls. A total of 153 untrained schoolchildren (80 boys, 73 girls) performed two 50‐m maximal effort sprints over a 52‐force‐platform system embedded in an indoor track. Maturity offset (years from peak height velocity; PHV) was estimated using anthropometric data and used to categorise the children into six‐year‐long maturation groups (from group 1 [5.5‐4.5 years before PHV] to group 6 [0.5 years before to 0.5 years after PHV). Maximum and mean step‐averaged velocities across 26 steps were compared across consecutive maturation groups, with further GRF analysis (means and waveforms [statistical parametric mapping]) performed when velocity differences were observed. For boys, higher maximum velocities (effect size ± 90% CI = 1.63 ± 0.69) were observed in maturation group 2 (4.5‐3.5 years before PHV) compared to group 1 (5.5‐4.5 years before PHV), primarily attributable to higher antero‐posterior GRFs across shorter ground contacts. Maximum velocities increased from maturation group 4 (2.5‐1.5 years before PHV) to group 5 (1.5‐0.5 years before PHV) in the girls (effect size ± 90% CI = 1.00 ± 0.78), due to longer ground contacts rather than higher GRFs per se. Waveform analyses revealed more effective reversal of braking forces and higher propulsive forces (e.g. 14%‐77% of stance 4), particularly for comparisons involving boys, which suggested potentially enhanced stretch‐shortening ability. Youth sport practitioners should consider these maturation‐specific alterations when evaluating young athletes’ sprint abilities.

Training in spikes and number of training hours correlate to injury incidence in youth athletics (track and field): A prospective 52-week study

“…10 Moreover, during puberty, ground reaction forces can change depending on the maturation status and thereby generate high loads on a growing skeleton. 26 The present study displayed no association between injury and training surface, but we found that training less than 6 hours every other week and the use of track spikes increased the risk of a first injury by about six times. The mechanisms by which training in track spikes may contribute to injury are not known, but can be related to the type of training done in track spikes.…”

Examination of the Sprinting and Jumping Force-Velocity Profiles in Young Soccer Players at Different Maturational Stages

“…A preliminary investigation identified the relationship between different sprinting abilities, including acceleration and maximum sprint velocity and maturity offset, but not chronological age [ 20 ]. Subsequently, some studies have found high correlations between the improved performance in sprinting and jumping in young soccer players and maturity offset [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ], therefore highlighting sprinting capabilities as valid indicators to be used as talent-identification criteria in young soccer players. However, to date, no previous studies have either used the F-V profiles in young soccer players, or assessed the relationship between these components and both chronological age and maturity offset.…”

Performance in youth track and field is associated with birth quartile. A register-based study among athletes in Norway from 10 years to senior level

“…Our results indicate that chronologically older children and adolescents of both sexes have an advantage in youth track and field both in sprint and middle-distance running. Better performance in both sprint and middle-distance running among athletes born early in the year compared to those born late can probably be explained by the fact that the chronologically oldest athletes in each competition class, on average, are more biologically mature and therefore have more developed anthropometric and physical attributes that aid performance [ 5 – 9 , 29 – 32 ]. Indeed, another possible explanation for our findings could also be linked with possible skewed birth date distribution in the greater Norwegian population.…”

“…This is most likely due to the different physical demands in the two events. In sprint, force and power are important factors for performance [ 29 , 32 ], whereas maximal oxygen uptake is important in middle-distance running [ 36 ]. The increase in body mass/muscle mass during puberty improves force and power relevant for sprint events.…”