Adolescent Growth and Motor Performance - A Longitudinal Study of Belgian Boys, HKP Sport Science Monograph Series.

Adolescent Growth and Motor Performance--A Longitudinal Study of Belgian Boys. HKP Sport Science Monograph Series This article is a research paper detailing a variety of anthropometric and motor-performance characteristics during the period of adolescence in Belgian boys. This longitudinal study of 588 boys over a six-year period (12-19 years of age) was presented in three stages: 1) comparison of the longitudinal study sample with prior reference data; 2) description of somatic and motor-performance characteristics as a function of chronological age; and 3) evaluation of the timing and sequence of changes in somatic and motor-performance characteristics relative to the timing of peak growth in height, weight, and strength.

The purpose of the study was to examine the timing and sequence of adolescent changes for a variety of somatic and motor-performance characteristics. Anthropometric measures included a mix of 16 height, segment length, weight, girth, and skinfold variables, and the motor-skill battery (Leuven Motor Ability Test Battery) incorporated a seven-item assessment of coordination, speed of movement, strength, and flexibility.

Major conclusions from the study included the following:

1) The longitudinal sample data compare favorably with reference data except for some differences at the earlier ages; the authors attributed this discrepancy to their selection bias, which eliminated early-maturing boys from their study.

2) All somatic variables except for extremity skinfold measurements increased during adolescence, as did performance on the motor-skills battery; extremity skinfold measurements increased during early adolescence, but then declined after the age of 14 years; body weight, height, segment lengths, trunk breadth, and circumferences showed a maximum velocity of growth between ages 14 and 15 years.

3) Changes in somatic and motor-performance characteristics relative to periods of maximum growth in height, weight, and strength, rather than chronological age, varied with the particular variable; peak changes in weight occurred after the peak change in height, as did strength; flexibility and speed of movement demonstrated peak changes before the spurts in height and weight; all other motor skills increased during adolescence and demonstrated peak changes coincident with the height spurt.

Measured performance in the motor skills did not reveal any indication of awkwardness during adolescence. Changes in motor-skill performance were positive throughout the period of adolescence.

This research article was presented in a monograph format, rather than in a journal, because of the length of the presentation. This publication vehicle, Human Kinetics Publishers Sport Science Monograph Series, is dedicated to the presentation of sports science topics in their relevant entirety. The presentation was complemented by an excellent literature review, a number of graphs, an appendix of statistical tables, and a description of the anthropometric techniques and motor-skill tests. A list of references completed the presentation.