Skeletal age and submaximal working capacity in boys

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Exercise Physiology
• Skeletal Development
• Cardiorespiratory Fitness Assessment

Background:

• Cardiorespiratory fitness is crucial for overall health and athletic performance in children and adolescents.
• Skeletal age, a measure of bone maturity, may offer insights into physiological development beyond chronological age.
• Understanding factors influencing cardiorespiratory fitness in developing boys is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between skeletal age (SA) and cardiorespiratory fitness, specifically oxygen uptake at a heart rate of 130 bpm (Vo130), in boys aged 8-18.
• To determine if SA is a better predictor of Vo130 than chronological age (CA), height, or body weight.
• To examine age-specific associations between SA and Vo130, particularly during the circumpubertal period.

Main Methods:

• Measurements of skeletal age (SA) and Vo130 were taken from 237 boys aged 8-18 years.
• Bicycle ergometer testing was used to assess Vo130.
• Correlation and regression analyses were employed to examine relationships between SA, Vo130, CA, height, and weight.

Main Results:

• Vo130 showed strong correlations with SA, CA, height, and body weight across all participants.
• Age-specific analyses revealed a significant association between SA and Vo130 in boys aged 12-16 years.
• Partial correlation analyses indicated that SA uniquely contributed to explaining Vo130 variance in the 12-16 year subgroup, independent of height and weight.

Conclusions:

• Skeletal age is a significant correlate of cardiorespiratory fitness (Vo130) in adolescent boys.
• The association between SA and Vo130 is most pronounced during the circumpubertal period (ages 12-16).
• SA may serve as a valuable indicator of physiological maturity influencing cardiorespiratory fitness in this age group.