Skip to main content

Growth and the Young Female Athlete

  • Chapter
Book cover The Young Female Athlete

Abstract

The body goes through remarkable changes from birth through childhood and adolescence into adulthood. Biological growth and maturation, along with behavioral development, are important aspects “growing up.” These three processes, growth, maturation, and development, dominate the daily lives of children and adolescents for approximately the first two decades of life. This chapter will focus predominantly on growth and maturation, and how timing and tempo of these may affect sports involvement and injury risk in young female athletes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Karlberg J, et al. Analysis of linear growth using a mathematical model. I. From birth to 3 years. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1987;76(3):478–88.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Karlberg J. A biologically-oriented mathematical model (ICP) for human growth. Acta Paediatr Scand Suppl. 1989;350:70–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Beunen G, Malina RM. Growth and biologic maturation: relevance to athletic performance. In: Hebestreit H, Bar-Or O, editors. The young athlete. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Lampl M, Veldhuis JD, Johnson ML. Saltation and stasis: a model of human growth. Science. 1992;258(5083):801–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Malina R, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O. Growth, maturation and physical activity. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Press; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Malina RM. Variations in body composition associated with sex and ethnicity. In: Heymsfield SB et al., editors. Human body composition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2005. p. 271–98.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Lofqvist C, et al. Reference values for insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and the ratio of insulin-like growth factor-I to IGFBP-3 throughout childhood and adolescence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90(3):1420–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Casazza K, Hanks LJ, Alvarez JA. Role of various cytokines and growth factors in pubertal development. Med Sport Sci. 2010;55:14–31.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Meinhardt UJ, Ho KK. Regulation of growth hormone action by gonadal steroids. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2007;36(1):57–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Faulkner RA, et al. Size-corrected BMD decreases during peak linear growth: implications for fracture incidence during adolescence. J Bone Miner Res. 2006;21(12):1864–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Haubenstricker JL, Seefeldt VD. Acquisition of motor skills during childhood. In: Seefeldt V, editor. Physical activity and well-being. Reston, VA: AAHPERD; 1986. p. 41–102.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Beunen GP, Simons J. Physical growth, maturation and performance. In: Simons J et al., editors. Growth and fitness of Flemish girls: the Leuven growth study. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 1990. p. 69–118.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Greulich WW, Pyle SI, Brush Foundation Cleveland. [from old catalog], Radiographic atlas of skeletal development of the hand and wrist. Stanford: Stanford University Press; 1950. p. xiii. 190 p.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Tanner JM. Growth at adolescence, with a general consideration of the effects of hereditary and environmental factors upon growth and maturation from birth to maturity. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1962. 325 p.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Tanner JM, et al. Prediction of adult height from height, bone age, and occurrence of menarche, at ages 4 to 16 with allowance for midparent height. Arch Dis Child. 1975;50(1):14–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Biro FM, et al. Pubertal correlates in black and white girls. J Pediatr. 2006;148(2):234–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Anderson SE, Must A. Interpreting the continued decline in the average age at menarche: results from two nationally representative surveys of U.S. girls studied 10 years apart. J Pediatr. 2005;147(6):753–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Mirwald RL, et al. An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34(4):689–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Malina RM, et al. Maturity status of youth football players: a noninvasive estimate. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005;37(6):1044–52.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Daly RM, et al. Short stature in competitive prepubertal and early pubertal male gymnasts: the result of selection bias or intense training? J Pediatr. 2000;137(4):510–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Malina RM, et al. Role of intensive training in the growth and maturation of artistic gymnasts. Sports Med. 2013;43(9):783–802.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Malina RM. Physical growth and biological maturation of young athletes. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 1994;22:389–433.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Eisenmann JC, Malina RM. Growth status and estimated growth rate of young distance runners. Int J Sports Med. 2002;23(3):168–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Geithner CA, Woynarowska B, Malina RM. The adolescent spurt and sexual maturation in girls active and not active in sport. Ann Hum Biol. 1998;25(5):415–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Leone M, Lariviere G, Comtois AS. Discriminant analysis of anthropometric and biomotor variables among elite adolescent female athletes in four sports. J Sports Sci. 2002;20(6):443–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Malina RM. Growth and maturation of child and adolescent track and field athletes: Final report, Monaco; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Rakovac M, et al. Body size changes in elite junior rowers: 1997 to 2007. Coll Antropol. 2011;35(1):127–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Cole TJ, et al. Body mass index cut offs to define thinness in children and adolescents: international survey. BMJ. 2007;335(7612):194.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Malina RM, Rogol AD. Sport training and the growth and pubertal maturation of young athletes. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2011;9(1):441–55.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Balyi I, Way R, Higgs C. Long-term athlete development. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Malina RM. Skeletal age and age verification in youth sport. Sports Med. 2011;41(11):925–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Malina RM. Physical activity and training: effects on stature and the adolescent growth spurt. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1994;26(6):759–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Malina RM, Bielicki T. Retrospective longitudinal growth study of boys and girls active in sport. Acta Paediatr. 1996;85(5):570–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Bernink MJ, et al. Height, body composition, biological maturation and training in relation to socio-economic status in girl gymnasts, swimmers, and controls. Growth. 1983;47(1):1–12.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Georgopoulos NA, et al. Growth, pubertal development, skeletal maturation and bone mass acquisition in athletes. Hormones (Athens). 2004;3(4):233–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Georgopoulos NA, et al. The influence of intensive physical training on growth and pubertal development in athletes. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1205:39–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Malina RM. Body composition in athletes: assessment and estimated fatness. Clin Sports Med. 2007;26(1):37–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Malina RM, Geithner CA. Body composition of young athletes. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2011;5:262–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Wells JC, Fewtrell MS. Measuring body composition. Arch Dis Child. 2006;91(7):612–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Peltenburg AL, et al. Biological maturation, body composition, and growth of female gymnasts and control groups of schoolgirls and girl swimmers, aged 8 to 14 years: a cross-sectional survey of 1064 girls. Int J Sports Med. 1984;5(1):36–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Christo K, et al. Bone metabolism in adolescent athletes with amenorrhea, athletes with eumenorrhea, and control subjects. Pediatrics. 2008;121(6):1127–36.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Ackerman KE, et al. Bone microarchitecture is impaired in adolescent amenorrheic athletes compared with eumenorrheic athletes and nonathletic controls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(10):3123–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Iuliano-Burns S, Mirwald RL, Bailey DA. Timing and magnitude of peak height velocity and peak tissue velocities for early, average, and late maturing boys and girls. Am J Hum Biol. 2001;13(1):1–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Wilmore JH. Body composition in sport and exercise: directions for future research. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1983;15(1):21–31.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Katzman DK, et al. Clinical and anthropometric correlates of bone mineral acquisition in healthy adolescent girls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1991;73(6):1332–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Fehily AM, et al. Factors affecting bone density in young adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992;56(3):579–86.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Ferry B, et al. Bone health during late adolescence: effects of an 8-month training program on bone geometry in female athletes. Joint Bone Spine. 2013;80(1):57–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Maimoun L, et al. Peripubertal female athletes in high-impact sports show improved bone mass acquisition and bone geometry. Metabolism. 2013;62(8):1088–98.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Burt LA, et al. Skeletal adaptations associated with pre-pubertal gymnastics participation as determined by DXA and pQCT: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sci Med Sport. 2013;16(3):231–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Ducher G, et al. Effects of repetitive loading on the growth-induced changes in bone mass and cortical bone geometry: a 12-month study in pre/peri- and postmenarcheal tennis players. J Bone Miner Res. 2011;26(6):1321–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Kontulainen S, et al. Good maintenance of exercise-induced bone gain with decreased training of female tennis and squash players: a prospective 5-year follow-up study of young and old starters and controls. J Bone Miner Res. 2001;16(2):195–201.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Nattiv A, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. The female athlete triad. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(10):1867–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Tenforde AS, Fredericson M. Influence of sports participation on bone health in the young athlete: a review of the literature. PM R. 2011;3(9):861–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Kimm SY, et al. Decline in physical activity in black girls and white girls during adolescence. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(10):709–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Dumith SC, et al. Physical activity change during adolescence: a systematic review and a pooled analysis. Int J Epidemiol. 2011;40(3):685–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Naughton G, et al. Physiological issues surrounding the performance of adolescent athletes. Sports Med. 2000;30(5):309–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Vescovi JD, et al. Physical performance characteristics of high-level female soccer players 12–21 years of age. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2011;21(5):670–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Martinez-Lagunas V, Niessen M, Hartmann U. Women’s football: player characteristics and demands of the game. J Sport Health Sci. 2014;3:258–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Caine D, et al. An epidemiologic investigation of injuries affecting young competitive female gymnasts. Am J Sports Med. 1989;17(6):811–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Granan LP, et al. The Scandinavian ACL registries 2004–2007: baseline epidemiology. Acta Orthop. 2009;80(5):563–7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  61. Renstrom P, et al. Non-contact ACL injuries in female athletes: an International Olympic Committee current concepts statement. Br J Sports Med. 2008;42(6):394–412.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  62. LaBella CR, et al. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Pediatrics. 2014;133(5):e1437–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Stracciolini A, et al. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in pediatric athletes presenting to sports medicine clinic. A comparison of males and females through growth and development. Sports Health. 2015. doi:10.1177/1941738114554768.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  64. Maffulli N, et al. Aetiology and prevention of injuries in elite young athletes. Med Sport Sci. 2011;56:187–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alan D. Rogol MD, PhD, FACSM .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Malina, R.M., Ackerman, K.E., Rogol, A.D. (2016). Growth and the Young Female Athlete. In: Stein, C., Ackerman, K., Stracciolini, A. (eds) The Young Female Athlete. Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21632-4_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21632-4_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-21631-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-21632-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics