SKELETAL MATURATION AND AEROBIC PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS FROM PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIES

Quero com esta postagem apresentar para vocês um recente trabalho publicado pelo nosso grupo de pesquisa (LAEF/CNPQ/UFSC) em conjunto com os professores Manuel J. Coelho-e-Silva e João Valente-dos-Santos da Universidade de Coimbra e, o professor Robert M. Malina da Universidade de Austin, Texas. O trabalho encontra-se publicado na International Journal Sports Medicine (https://www.thieme-connect.com/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0035-1549922).

Anderson S. Teixeira¹, João Valente-dos-Santos², Manuel J. Coelho-e-Silva², Robert M. Malina³, Juliano Fernandes-da-Silva¹, Paulo C. do Nascimento Salvador¹, Ricardo Dantas-de-Lucas¹, Monica C. Wayhs¹, Luiz G. A. Guglielmo¹

¹ Sports Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Physical effort Laboratory, Florianópolis, Brazil; ² Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; ³ Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

ABSTRACT

The present study evaluated age- and maturity-associated variation in body size, proportions and estimated body composition and a new soccer-specific aerobic fitness protocol labeled the Carminatti Test. The contribution of chronological age, skeletal age (Fels method) and body size to variance in peak velocity derived from the Carminatti Test was examined in three competitive age groups of Brazilian male soccer players: 10-11 years (U-12, n=15), 12-13 years (U-14, n=54) and 14-15 years (U-16, n=23). Body size and soccer-specific aerobic fitness were measured. Body composition was predicted from skinfolds. Analysis of variance and covariance (controlling for chronological age) were used to compare soccer players by age group and by skeletal maturity status within of each age group, respectively. Relative skeletal age (skeletal age minus chronological age), body size, estimated fat-free mass and performance on the Carminatti Test increased significantly with age. Carminatti Test performance did not differ among players of contrasting skeletal maturity status in the three age groups. Results of multiple linear regressions indicated fat mass (negative) and chronological age (positive) were significant predictors of peak velocity derived from the Carminatti Test, whereas skeletal age was not a significant predictor.  In conclusion, the Carminatti Test appears to be a potentially interesting field protocol to assess intermittent endurance running capacity in youth soccer programs since it is independent of biological maturity status.

Key-words:

Adolescence, field testing, intermittent exercise, skeletal age, young athletes.

Um grande abraço, fiquem com Deus e até a próxima.