TY - JOUR
T1 - Relative torque profiles of elite male youth footballers: effects of age and pubertal development
AU - Forbes, H
AU - Bullers, A
AU - Lovell, A
AU - McNaughton, Lars R
AU - Polman, R C
AU - Siegler, J C
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - This study aimed to establish the effect of age and pubertal development on relative peak torque in youth footballers. One hundred and fifty-seven subjects were arranged into U12-U18 age groups; of these 133 also completed a self-reporting measure of pubertal development (PDS) and were grouped accordingly. Bilateral isokinetic testing included mean peak torque/body weight (PT/BW) and angle of peak torque (AoPT) for reps 2-4 of 5 in concentric quadriceps (CQ), concentric hamstrings (CH) and eccentric hamstrings (EH) at 60°s−1. Two minutes rest were provided between concentric and eccentric tests for both legs. A significant increase with age was noted for PT/BW in CQ, CH and EH (P<0.05), although post hoc analyses revealed different patterns of significance dependent upon muscle and type of contraction. Specifically, the U18 s (CQ:2.20 nm/kg, CH:1.39 nm/kg, EH:2.16 nm/kg) were not significantly stronger than the U16 s and U15 s (CQ:2.42/2.29 nm/kg, CH:1.41/1.27 nm/kg, EH:2.22/2.15 nm/kg) even though they had entered full time training. The relationship between EH PT/BW and AoPT showed a weak but significant inverse correlation (P<0.001; R=−0.390 and −0.346 for dominant and non dominant legs). The findings of this study present unique football specific normative and age/PDS group data for PT/BW and AoPT, and the corresponding relationship between these variables.
AB - This study aimed to establish the effect of age and pubertal development on relative peak torque in youth footballers. One hundred and fifty-seven subjects were arranged into U12-U18 age groups; of these 133 also completed a self-reporting measure of pubertal development (PDS) and were grouped accordingly. Bilateral isokinetic testing included mean peak torque/body weight (PT/BW) and angle of peak torque (AoPT) for reps 2-4 of 5 in concentric quadriceps (CQ), concentric hamstrings (CH) and eccentric hamstrings (EH) at 60°s−1. Two minutes rest were provided between concentric and eccentric tests for both legs. A significant increase with age was noted for PT/BW in CQ, CH and EH (P<0.05), although post hoc analyses revealed different patterns of significance dependent upon muscle and type of contraction. Specifically, the U18 s (CQ:2.20 nm/kg, CH:1.39 nm/kg, EH:2.16 nm/kg) were not significantly stronger than the U16 s and U15 s (CQ:2.42/2.29 nm/kg, CH:1.41/1.27 nm/kg, EH:2.22/2.15 nm/kg) even though they had entered full time training. The relationship between EH PT/BW and AoPT showed a weak but significant inverse correlation (P<0.001; R=−0.390 and −0.346 for dominant and non dominant legs). The findings of this study present unique football specific normative and age/PDS group data for PT/BW and AoPT, and the corresponding relationship between these variables.
U2 - 10.1055/s-0029-1202817
DO - 10.1055/s-0029-1202817
M3 - Article (journal)
SN - 0172-4622
VL - 30
SP - 592
EP - 597
JO - International Journal of Sports Medicine
JF - International Journal of Sports Medicine
IS - 8
ER -