Resistance Training in the Younger Athlete

Sport participation among the youth population is ever-growing. Whether it be recreationally, as part of the school curriculum, school sport or competitive sport, many youngsters are training year-round with growing trends surrounding early sport-specialisation in young athletes.

It is important to consider that as our young athletes are growing and learning to use their bodies for sport, early specialisation in a particular sport does not correlate with greater skill transfer/performance in later years. Contrastingly, during this neuroplastic time of their development it is vital that the young athlete is exposed to a range of different movement patterns and demands in order to allow for holistic development in their athleticism and potentially reduce their injury risk. 

The associated health benefits of exercise and sport participation are well known, however there is also the omnipresent risk of injury associated with physical activity. Injury risk factors are unique to each young individual and may include aspects of the musculoskeletal system, their adolescent growth-spurt among other factors. Although problems do not often arise during normal levels of activity, increased intensity of trainings as competition increases, or the mark of a new season has many young athletes today training/playing under conditions and loads that often over-exert their capabilities and conditioning.

Common injuries that may arise in the younger athlete vary and are often dependent upon the amount of activity the young athlete is performing. Some typical injuries that present in the clinic include but are not limited to, knee injuries (patellofemoral pain, Osgood-schlatter syndrome), foot injuries (Sever’s disease), ligament sprains and muscle strains. When considering the complexities of the growing bodies in our young athletes, we unfortunately, are unable to prevent ALL injuries, however we can do our best to try and prevent most. Exposing our youth athletes to a range of movement patterns and loads that aim to boost tissue capacity and improve body awareness, strength and control has been shown to reduce the incidence of overuse injuries and reduce the likelihood of sprains and strains.

The concept of children/adolescents participating in various forms of resistance training is often a topic that causes a lot of debate among parents, health professionals and coaches alike. There is now compelling scientific evidence that supports both child and youth populations participating in a supervised resistance training that allows positive adaptations in health/fitness, sports performance and injury management/prevention.

Some listed benefits of resistance training in the youth population include but are not limited to improvements in muscular strength, power, change-of-direction speed, enhanced bone-mineral density and a reduction in sports-related injury. Not to mention the associated positive psychological effects resistance training can have in both children and adolescents.

Now you may be thinking or have heard from the neighbour that “resistance training will stunt my child’s growth” or “resistance training will injure my child’s growth plates”. Both statements are common misconceptions that are not supported by both scientific reports and clinical observations. On the contrary, movements and exercises including gymnastics, and resistance-based exercises may be beneficial for bone formation and growth in the developing body. Furthermore the 2014 international consensus statement stated that during these developmental years, the failure to participate in moderate-vigorous weight bearing physical activity may have longer-term bone health implications. In summary, the notion of reduced linear growth, or reduced height in adult years is not supported by scientific evidence.

However, an important consideration in implementing a safe resistance-based program for both children and adolescents is the presence of a knowledgeable health professional who is able to design and supervise training programmes that are consistent with the needs, goals and abilities of younger populations. It is vital that fundamentals of technical movements are prioritised and taught in order for the young athlete to execute the movement safely, with correct technique.  

In summary, appropriately designed and supervised resistance training programmes may reduce sports-related injuries, assist in the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries and should be viewed as an essential aspect of training programmes for young aspiring athletes.

References

Faigenbaum, A., Kraemer, W., Blimkie, C., Jeffreys, I., Micheli, L., Nitka, M. and Rowland, T. (2009). Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper From the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23, pp.S60-S79.

Lloyd, R., Faigenbaum, A., Stone, M., Oliver, J. (2013). Position statement on youth resistance training: The 2014 International Consensus. British journal of sports medicine. 48. 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092952.

Post, E. G., Trigsted, S. M., Riekena, J. W., Hetzel, S., McGuine, T. A., Brooks, M. A., & Bell, D. R. (2017). The Association of Sport Specialization and Training Volume With Injury History in Youth Athletes. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(6), 1405–1412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546517690848