This pilot study aims to investigate the interplay between growth, maturation, and health outcomes in the context of elite sport. There is currently a need for insights into the holistic development of individuals engaging in high level sports during crucial phases of growth and maturation. Adolescents may be at increased risk of injury or burnout during key developmental phases. Advances in the assessment and monitoring of sports specific training load, growth and maturity in sport make it possible to better predict and identify when athletes enter periods of rapid growth, when training stress may need to be adjusted.
The project will co-design and pilot a monitoring approach, integrating biological and physiological data, as well as qualitative data, on health and wellbeing. To explore maturation and differences in growth trajectories (height, body weight), we will develop a system for collecting anthropometric assessments including measurements of height, weight, and body composition. Physiological assessments will include sports-specific factors such as metabolic health and fitness, muscle strength, and training load. Participants’ psychological parameters, including mood, and stress levels, will be evaluated. This comprehensive approach will capture the holistic impact of sport and exercise on participants’ overall health during critical periods of growth and maturation. Key objectives of the pilot study included refining data collection protocols together with key stakeholders (coaches, performance staff, adolescents and their parents). This will allow for assessing the feasibility of the chosen methodologies, gauging participant adherence and evaluating the relationship between growth/maturation, training load and training related stress and injury in adolescent athletes. Insights gained from this preliminary investigation will inform larger prospective studies.