Age-Related Changes in Landing Mechanics in Elite Male Youth Soccer Players: A Longitudinal Study

Lehnert, Michal, Krejčí, Jakub, Janura, Miroslav and De Ste Croix, Mark B ORCID: 0000-0001-9911-4355 (2022) Age-Related Changes in Landing Mechanics in Elite Male Youth Soccer Players: A Longitudinal Study. Applied Sciences, 12 (11). Art 5324. doi:10.3390/app12115324

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Abstract

The aim of this longitudinal observational study was to examine the age differences in jump landing kinematics in 13–17-year-old male soccer players. Landing technique was evaluated in three consecutive seasons in U14 (n = 15) and the U16 (n = 10) competition age groups using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS). For the LESS, ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effect (p = 0.81, η2 = 0.009) or main effect for groups (p = 0.15, η2 = 0.086), but a significant year effect was observed (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.265). The LESS score in the U14 group decreased significantly in the second year (5.7 ± 1.9, p = 0.006, d = 0.84) and in the third year (5.9 ± 2.0, p = 0.020, d = 0.70) compared to the first year (7.1 ± 1.7). The LESS score in the U16 group decreased significantly in the second year (5.1 ± 0.9 points, p = 0.034, d = 0.77) and in the third year (4.9 ± 1.4, p = 0.013, d = 0.92) compared to the first year (6.4 ± 1.2). This trend was supported by the results of the separate assessment of the sagittal plane joint displacement. These findings support previous limited findings from cross-sectional studies, which point to improved landing mechanics during maturation. However, the LESS scores in both groups indicate that players who were around and/or post-peak height velocity during the observed periods may be considered “at-risk”, and suggest that preventive training programs should be introduced at earlier stages of players’ development.

Item Type: Article
Article Type: Article
Additional Information: This article was published in a Special Issue Cognition and Motion: Sensory Processing and Motor Skill Performance in Athletic Training and Rehabilitation.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Growth; maturation; adolescence; injury; Landing Error Scoring System
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports > GV861 Ball games: Baseball, football, golf, etc.
Divisions: Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas: Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User: Anne Pengelly
Date Deposited: 30 May 2022 10:17
Last Modified: 31 Aug 2023 09:06
URI: https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/11166

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