Associations between growth, maturation and injury in youth athletes engaged in elite pathways: a scoping review.

Objective: To describe the evidence pertaining to associations between growth, maturation and injury in elite youth athletes.

Design: Scoping review.

Data Sources: Electronic databases (SPORTDiscus, Embase, PubMed, MEDLINE and Web of Science) searched on 30 May 2023.

Eligibility Criteria: Original studies published since 2000 using quantitative or qualitative designs investigating associations between growth, maturation and injury in elite youth athletes.

Results: From an initial 518 titles, 36 full-text articles were evaluated, of which 30 were eligible for final inclusion. Most studies were quantitative and employed prospective designs. Significant heterogeneity was evident across samples and in the operationalisation and measurement of growth, maturation and injury. Injury incidence and burden generally increased with maturity status, although growth-related injuries peaked during the adolescent growth spurt. More rapid growth in stature and of the lower limbs was associated with greater injury incidence and burden. While maturity timing did not show a clear or consistent association with injury, it may contribute to risk and burden due to variations in maturity status.

Conclusion: Evidence suggests that the processes of growth and maturation contribute to injury risk and burden in elite youth athletes, although the nature of the association varies with injury type. More research investigating the main and interactive effects on growth and maturation on injury is warranted, especially in female athletes and across a greater diversity of sports.