Table 1

Effect of maturity status on injury risk

Study, countrySport, populationMaturity assessmentFindings
Violette,50 USAAmerican football, 12–18 years, n=466Weight and height, grip strength, pubertal statusInjured players shorter, lighter and less mature, more likely to be injured when playing against age-matched, heavier, more mature players
Backous,49 NorwayFootball (soccer), 6–17 years, n=1139Height, grip strengthSignificantly higher proportion of injuries in mature (tall/weak boys) compared with the immature (short/weak) or mature (tall/strong) boys
Linder,48 USAAmerican football, 11–15 years, n=340Tanner stagingTanner 3, 4, 5 associated with higher incidence of injury
Michaud,47 SwitzerlandMultiple sports, 9–19 years, n=3609Self-reported Tanner stagingTanner stage 4, 5 associated with higher incidence of injury
Malina,51 PortugalAmerican football, 9–14 years, n=678Percentage of predicted mature heightNo association between maturity status and injury risk
Le Gall,6 FranceElite football (soccer), 12–14 yearsSkeletal age by x-rayNo difference in overall injury incidence between players of di ering maturity status, higher incidence of major injuries in biologically less mature athletes
Johnson,7 UKElite football (soccer), 9–16 yearsSkeletal age by x-rayNo effect of maturity status alone. Maturity status, playing and training time collectively explained 48% of variation in injury rates