@article{ref1,
title="Relative skeletal maturity status affects injury burden in U14 elite academy football players",
journal="Scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports",
year="2022",
author="Monasterio, X. and Bidaurrazaga-Letona, I. and Larruskain, J. and Lekue, J. A. and Diaz-Beitia, G. and Santisteban, J. and Martin-Garetxana, I. and Gil, S. M.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Maturation progresses at different times and at different rates between individuals. Thus, differences in maturity status exist among players in the same chronological age-based category, especially in U14 players. The purpose of this prospective study was to describe injury burden according to the relative skeletal maturity status in U14 elite academy football [soccer] players. From 2011 to 2020 injuries and individual exposure (training and match) were prospectively recorded in 183 male U14 players. Skeletal age (SA) was assessed using the Tanner-Whitehouse 2 method. Relative skeletal maturity status [SA minus chronological age (CA)] was classified as follows: early (SA-CA > 0.5), on-time (SA-CA ± 0.5) and late (SA-CA < -0.5). Overall and specific injury burden (days lost/1000h) and rate ratios for comparisons between groups were calculated. Overall injury burden was 2.8-times higher (3.6-times in training) in early maturers compared with late maturers. Growth-related injuries were the most burdensome injuries in all three groups, but significant differences were not found between groups. Muscle injuries were 4-times more burdensome in early maturers compared with on-time and late maturers. Besides, joint/ligament injuries were 7- and 12- times less burdensome in late maturers than in on-time and late maturers, respectively. Significant differences between groups in overall and specific injury burden were not found in matches. Our results showed different injury patterns in U14 early, on-time and late maturers. Hence, monitoring maturity seems crucial to detect potential injuries that cause the greatest disruption, and facilitate design of targeted injury prevention programs.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0905-7188",
doi="10.1111/sms.14204",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sms.14204"
}