Associations between growth, maturation and non-contact injury risk in Scottish male academy football: a prospective multi-academy study

Key Points

1. Post-peak height velocity (PHV) injuries occurred at a higher rate than Pre-PHV or Circa-PHV.

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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Injuries sustained during childhood or adolescence may increase susceptibility to future injuries with biological status (defined by maturity status and the timing and tempo of growth) significantly increasing injury risk in youth footballers. During the adolescent growth spurt, rapid growth and associated musculoskeletal changes contribute to increased injury incidence and burden, as the immature musculoskeletal system is more susceptible to growth-related injuries (GRIs), such as physeal and apophyseal injuries.

GRIs tend to follow a distal-to-proximal gradient over time, consistent with skeletal growth. However, the relationship between maturity timing and injury risk remains unclear. Older but later-maturing players may experience a greater injury burden than early-maturing peers, yet the absence of late-maturing players in many datasets skews current understanding.

This study utilized a large dataset from across Scottish academies to examine associations between biological maturation and injury outcomes.

Injuries sustained during childhood or adolescence may increase susceptibility to future injuries with biological status, significantly increasing injury risk in youth footballers.

Players experiencing rapid growth >10cm per year and/or approaching 90% of peak adult height should be subject to enhanced monitoring and load management strategies.

METHODS

• 392 players from under-10 to under-18 age groups were prospectively enrolled for the 24-25 season, across five professional academies in Scotland.

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