AGE DIFFERENCES IN MEASURES OF FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE IN HIGHLY YOUTH BASKETBALL PLAYERS

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Talent Identification

Background:

• Limited data exists on how age affects functional movement tests (FMT) and performance metrics in young basketball athletes.
• Understanding these age-related differences is crucial for talent development and injury prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare FMT and performance test scores between U-14 and U-16 male basketball players.
• To examine the relationship between lower body FMT and jump/sprint performance in U-14 and U-16 players.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving 30 elite male basketball players aged U-14 to U-16.
• Evaluated functional movement tests (weight-bearing dorsiflexion, Star Excursion Balance Test) and performance tests (jumps, sprints).

Main Results:

• The U-16 group demonstrated statistically significant advantages in most anthropometric and performance tests compared to the U-14 group.
• Significant differences were observed in five of eight FMTs, with U-16 players showing better performance.
• While U-16 players showed fewer correlations between FMT and performance, U-14 players exhibited more significant correlations.

Conclusions:

• Age-related differences in functional movement and performance exist between U-14 and U-16 male basketball players.
• Interpreting FMT scores requires consideration of the player's age, particularly for injury risk assessment.
• These findings can inform age-specific training and evaluation protocols in youth basketball.