Comparative Analysis of Maturation Prediction Methods (Moore, Mirwald, BAUSport^TM): Croatian Female Volleyball Youth...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate assessment of somatic maturation is crucial for talent identification and training program optimization in youth athletes.
• Traditional methods for skeletal age estimation, such as the Moore and Mirwald protocols, have limitations in precision and applicability.
• Emerging technologies offer potential advancements in non-invasive skeletal age assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of three protocols—Moore, Mirwald, and the BAUSport™ SonicBone system—in predicting somatic maturation in adolescent female athletes.
• To evaluate the correlation and agreement between skeletal age estimates derived from these distinct methods.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 16 female athletes (U-17 Croatian national volleyball team) underwent comprehensive anthropometric measurements (height, weight, limb lengths, etc.).
• Skeletal age was assessed using the Moore and Mirwald radiographic methods and the novel BAUSport™ SonicBone ultrasound system.
• Statistical analyses included correlation, repeated-measures ANOVA, and regression to compare the methods and identify predictive variables.

Main Results:

• Moore and Mirwald methods demonstrated moderate to strong correlations with each other but weaker correlations with the BAUSport™ system.
• Significant differences were found between BAUSport™ and both Moore and Mirwald methods (p < 0.05).
• Regression analysis indicated that anthropometric variables, particularly wrist diameter, explained 69% of the variance in BAUSport™ estimates.

Conclusions:

• The BAUSport™ SonicBone system shows promise as an advancement in skeletal age assessment, potentially offering a new standard for monitoring athlete development.
• Further research is essential to validate BAUSport™ across diverse populations and refine its calibration for anatomical variations.
• Comparative studies with other emerging technologies (e.g., genetic markers, hormonal assays, MRI) are recommended for a comprehensive understanding of biological maturation.