Ammar Nebigh

Effects of a soccer season on anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness in elite young soccer players

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a soccer-training season on the anthropometric and performance characteristics of elite youth soccer players. Two groups (age: 14.4 years) participated in this study: 1) 24 soccer players training 8 to 10 hours per week and 2) 26 non-athletic boys used as controls. Anthropometric measurements, aerobic (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery test level 1) and anaerobic (counter-movement-jump (CMJ), squat-jump (SqJ), five-jump-test (5JT), and speed (T5m, 10 m, 30 m)) performances were assessed twice during 8 months (T0: October; T1: May) of the competitive season. Data showed significant differences in height and weight at T0 between the two groups (P < 0.05), while no difference in the percentage of body fat (%BF) was observed. However, the soccer players were significantly taller and had lower %BF than age-matched controls at T1. Compared to the controls, the soccer players attained better results in the physical fitness test (P < 0.05) at T0 and T1 except in (T5m) sprinting speed. Hence, significant improvements (P < 0.05) in physical parameters were observed between T0 and T1 only in soccer players. The results demonstrate that soccer-training season was able to provide maturation free improvement in anthropometric and performance characteristics in young soccer players during the training season.

Bone mineral density of young boy soccer players at different pubertal stages: relationships with hormonal concentration.

OBJECTIVES To examine the effects of soccer in relation with the hormonal concentration, on the bone mass of young Tunisian players at different pubertal stages. METHODS Two groups of 152 young boys (age: 13.3+/-0.9 years) participated in this study: (1) 91 soccer players, and (2) 61 non-athletic boys used as control subjects. The bone mineral density (BMD) and the bone mineral content (BMC) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Pubertal stages were assessed, and serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), growth hormone (GH) and the total testosterone were measured. RESULTS The BMD and BMC for whole body, lumbar spine, femoral neck, pelvis and lower limbs were higher in soccer players than in controls (p<0.001). In early puberty, the soccer players also exhibited significantly greater BMD and BMC in the whole body and in weight-bearing bones compared with the controls (p<0.001). However, there was no intersubject variability due to puberty in either BMD or BMC. The pubescent soccer players had significantly higher hormonal concentrations of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 than their counterpart controls (p<0.05). Moreover, the whole body BMD was significantly (p<0.001) correlated with GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 but not with the testosterone concentrations. CONCLUSION The soccer participation of boys is generally associated with the improvement of their bone mass which is mainly marked at early and late puberty. The relationships between somatotropic axis hormones and BMD of the players may be linked to the parallel development of these two parameters during puberty.

Enhanced bone mass and physical fitness in prepubescent basketball players.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of basketball practice on bone acquisition in the prepubertal age. In total, 48 prepubescent male basketball players aged 11.1 ± 0.8 yr, Tanner stage 1, were compared with 50 controls matched for age and pubertal stage. Areal bone mineral density, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone area (BA) in deferent sites associated with anthropometric parameters were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Running and jumping tests were performed. Analysis of Students impaired t-test revealed that basketball players attained better results in all physical fitness tests (p < 0.05). They also exhibited significantly greater BMC and BA in whole body, upper and lower extremities, trochanter, total hip, and whole right and left radius (p < 0.001) compared with the controls. No significant differences were observed between groups in right and left ultradistal and third distal radius and spinal regions, BMC, and BA, whereas a significant positive correlation was reported between lean mass, BMC, and BA of lower limbs. In summary, basketball practice in prepubertal age is associated with improved physical fitness and enhanced lean and bone mass in loaded sites.