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Physiological issues surrounding the performance of adolescent athletes
G Naughton1, N J Farpour-Lambert, J Carlson
1Children's Hospital Institute of Sports Medicine, The New Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. GeraldN2@nch.edu.au
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|December 5, 2000
Summary
Adolescent athletes show significant strength gains from resistance training and improved aerobic capacity, particularly boys. Intense training appears safe for growth, but rapid increases in volume may raise injury risk.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Adolescent Physiology
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Young athletes face intense training demands from an early age.
- Limited research exists on adolescent physiological trainability compared to adults.
- Adolescent growth velocity complicates research on young athletes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review physiological issues impacting adolescent athlete performance.
- To discuss growth hormone (GH) roles in adolescent development and exercise.
- To examine trainability differences between adolescent and adult athletes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on adolescent athletes.
- Analysis of studies on growth hormone (GH) and exercise sensitivity.
- Examination of resistance and aerobic training effects in adolescents.
Main Results:
- Adolescent boys exhibit marked aerobic trainability, linked to hormonal changes and system growth.
- Substantial relative strength gains are achievable through resistance training in male and female adolescents.
- Limited evidence suggests intense training does not impede normal growth, but overuse injuries are a risk with rapid training volume increases.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent athletes possess unique physiological characteristics influencing trainability.
- Hormonal shifts and physical maturation significantly impact aerobic capacity development.
- Careful management of training load is crucial to mitigate overuse injury risk in rapidly growing athletes.