Growth spurts are a natural part of adolescence and athletic development, but for young soccer players, these growth spurt phases can bring unique injury risks. Understanding how growth spurts, maturation, and workload affect injury rates can help coaches, parents, and medical staff better protect young athletes.
Key Insights:
- Growth and Peak Height Velocity (PHV): The fastest growth spurt period, usually around ages 13-14, increases injury risk. Taller, rapidly-growing players and those with heavier builds face higher risks of both overuse and acute injuries.
- Workload Management: During and after PHV, maintaining gradual increases in training loads—especially for high-speed running—is crucial. High workloads without adequate recovery can lead to illness or non-contact injuries.
- Tailored Monitoring: By tracking each player’s growth and maturity, coaches can pinpoint vulnerable periods and adjust training to mitigate risks.
What Physiotherapists Can Do: At our high performance physiotherapy clinic in Carlton and Tullamarine our physiotherapists play a vital role by working with teams to establish individualised monitoring systems that track growth, workload, and maturation. Close collaboration with coaches and parents can help create balanced training programs, reduce injury risks, and support young players through crucial developmental stages. This team-based approach not only preserves player health but enhances performance as they mature.
At The Physio Crew we create individualised training programs to reduce the risk of injury and improve performance at any growth spurt and teenage age. To book in with one of our expert physiotherapists, call our clinic on 9116 8691 (Tullamarine), 91168693 (Carlton).
TPC
