Role of Intensive Training in the Growth and Maturation of Artistic Gymnasts

Abstract

Short stature and later maturation of youth artistic gymnasts are often attributed to the effects of intensive training from a young age. Given limitations of available data, inadequate specification of training, failure to consider other factors affecting growth and maturation, and failure to address epidemiological criteria for causality, it has not been possible thus far to establish cause–effect relationships between training and the growth and maturation of young artistic gymnasts. In response to this ongoing debate, the Scientific Commission of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) convened a committee to review the current literature and address four questions: (1) Is there a negative effect of training on attained adult stature? (2) Is there a negative effect of training on growth of body segments? (3) Does training attenuate pubertal growth and maturation, specifically, the rate of growth and/or the timing and tempo of maturation? (4) Does training negatively influence the endocrine system, specifically hormones related to growth and pubertal maturation? The basic information for the review was derived from the active involvement of committee members in research on normal variation and clinical aspects of growth and maturation, and on the growth and maturation of artistic gymnasts and other youth athletes. The committee was thus thoroughly familiar with the literature on growth and maturation in general and of gymnasts and young athletes. Relevant data were more available for females than males. Youth who persisted in the sport were a highly select sample, who tended to be shorter for chronological age but who had appropriate weight-for-height. Data for secondary sex characteristics, skeletal age and age at peak height velocity indicated later maturation, but the maturity status of gymnasts overlapped the normal range of variability observed in the general population. Gymnasts as a group demonstrated a pattern of growth and maturation similar to that observed among short-, normal-, late-maturing individuals who were not athletes. Evidence for endocrine changes in gymnasts was inadequate for inferences relative to potential training effects. Allowing for noted limitations, the following conclusions were deemed acceptable: (1) Adult height or near adult height of female and male artistic gymnasts is not compromised by intensive gymnastics training. (2) Gymnastics training does not appear to attenuate growth of upper (sitting height) or lower (legs) body segment lengths. (3) Gymnastics training does not appear to attenuate pubertal growth and maturation, neither rate of growth nor the timing and tempo of the growth spurt. (4) Available data are inadequate to address the issue of intensive gymnastics training and alterations within the endocrine system.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s40279-013-0058-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Body dissatisfaction and sociodemographic, anthropometric and maturational factors among artistic gymnastics athletes

“…us, among the national studies, it was found that there is no standard for the classi cation as elite and non-elite athletes. is research adopted the cuto point of 30 hours of weekly training, as pointed out by review study conducted by M et al 20 . Also, this is a criterion that ts the reality of the Artistic Gymnastics Training Center of Três Rios -RJ.…”

“…According to M et al 20 , the artistic gymnastics elite athletes training an average of 30 hours per week. is criterion was used as the cuto point for the separation of sample groups in this study.…”

“…Regarding the high performance training, there are speculations that if this is intense and demanding, especially in childhood and adolescence may impair the growth 19 . However, a review study performed by M et al 20 point out that the stature reached in adulthood gymnastics athletes for both sexes is not compromised by training at young ages or during the peak growth spurt.…”

“…di erent axes of the body is required constantly in the elements of this sport [19][20][21] . For this reason, artistic gymnastics is often cited as a modality that causes the emergence of speci c characteristics of these athletes, such as the commitment of the growth in stature 19,21 .…”

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“…Minimum age for participants was 13.0 years at the WC1987 and raised to 16.0 years at the 1997 WC. Mean ages have since increased: 16.5 (WC1987), 17.4 (WC1997), 18.0 (OG2000), and 18.8 (OG2008) years (Claessens, 2001(Claessens, , 2007Malina et al, 2013). The demands of the Olympic gymnastics have continued to escalate, and currently, a light, powerful, and usually, petite athlete is optimal Arkaev and Suchilin (2004).…”