The relationship and biologic maturation and injury risk in adolescent male football players

In this prospective controlled study, we investigated the relationship between injury and biological maturation in adolescent male football players before, during and after the growth attack, and the differences from their peers who did not engage in regular sports. A total of 206 football players from the superstructure teams and 208 individuals from boarding dormitories were filled in the general demographic information and injury card, bone age determination, body components, skin fold thickness were analyzed. The mean age of the participants was 13.6±1.5, the height of football players was longer than controls, but body mass index (BMI) and whole body fat percentages were lower, growth rate was higher than that of controls in all stages according to Tanner, abdominal skin fold thickness was thinner in all age groups in football players and there was negative correlation between whole body fat, abdominal fat and training day and hour, but lean body mass, total body water measurements and annual growth rates were found to be positively correlated, and footballers had more frequent injuries and playing football increased the risk of injury. The most common injuries in football players were strikers, during the match and the first half, those who were injuried were taller, overweight, body fat percentage higher and growth rate ahead. In the control group, was found that the patients with injuries were weak, shorter and fat percentage lower than those without injuries.The most common injuries was found in Tanner stage 4 in footballers, while no difference was found between injury and Tanner stage in the control group. The rate of injury was 5.8/1000h and positively correlated with age, bone age SDS, height, weight, BMI, total body fat percetange, while total body water percentage was negatively correlated. As a result of the study, in adolescent males, playing football positively affects the annual growth rate during the growth attack. However, it increases the risk of injury. Keywords: Biological maturation, growth attack, Tanner stage, football, injury