Relazione tra sviluppo puberale e carichi di allenamento in giovani atleti per il benessere e la prevenzione degli infortuni

This doctoral research aimed to investigate the relationship between chronological age, relative age, pubertal development, and their impact on performance in youth football players. The research involved two distinct studies: the first included 61 young players from the U14 category, while the second examined 259 elite-level players in the U14-U19 categories. Both studies revealed considerable variability in pubertal development among players of the same chronological age, showing that this variability has a significant impact on physical performance, particularly in the CMJ test. Chronological age and relative age showed weak correlations with CMJ performance, whereas pubertal development had a stronger association. Biologically more mature players performed better in the CMJ, and this relationship became more pronounced as players progressed through the various stages of puberty. In younger categories, particularly U14, the Relative Age Effect (RAE) was strongly evident, with a significant overrepresentation of players born in the first quarter of the year. However, this effect tended to decrease in older categories (U17, U19), suggesting that selection processes based solely on chronological age can introduce biases, disadvantaging players born later or those who mature more slowly. The studies also demonstrated that pubertal development accounted for a greater portion of the variance in CMJ performance compared to relative or chronological age. These findings highlight the importance of personalizing training programs based on biological maturity rather than chronological age. Moreover, strategies such as bio-banding, which groups players according to their biological age rather than birth year, are recommended to mitigate the relative age effect and ensure a fairer talent selection process. The implications of these findings go beyond physical performance, suggesting that coaches and strength and conditioning professionals must be aware of the crucial role that maturation plays in athletic development. Individualized training programs, tailored to biological maturity, could ensure a more balanced and sustainable development pathway for young football players, while promoting the overall health and well-being of the young athlete.