Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players

Abstract This study focus is to develop a new model to estimate skeletal age (SA) as a function of the state of biological maturation in male soccer players, and to propose cut-off points to classify the state of biological maturation based on the percentage of adult height (PAH). SA was determined...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Luis Alberto Flores, Christopher McLaren-Towlson, Lidia G. De León, Fabiana Bonito, Pedro Mil-Homens, Iván Peña-González, Maria Isabel Fragoso
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00402-x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850242797939982336
author Luis Alberto Flores
Christopher McLaren-Towlson
Lidia G. De León
Fabiana Bonito
Pedro Mil-Homens
Iván Peña-González
Maria Isabel Fragoso
author_facet Luis Alberto Flores
Christopher McLaren-Towlson
Lidia G. De León
Fabiana Bonito
Pedro Mil-Homens
Iván Peña-González
Maria Isabel Fragoso
author_sort Luis Alberto Flores
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study focus is to develop a new model to estimate skeletal age (SA) as a function of the state of biological maturation in male soccer players, and to propose cut-off points to classify the state of biological maturation based on the percentage of adult height (PAH). SA was determined in 747 Portuguese male soccer players, using the Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) 3 method, and PAH was predicted by TW3 (P-TW3) and Khamis-Roche (P-KR) methods. Subsequently, the sensitivity and specificity of the P-TW3 were estimated to classify late, on-time and early maturers to obtain cut-off points, by age; and to develop specific equations for each maturation stage. Both the model using P-TW3 and the model using P-KR showed a SA predictive capacity of 93%. The average differences were similar to zero. P-TW3 cutoff points were established by ROC curve analysis to identify late and early maturers according to their SA. Following, predictive models were developed to estimate SA according to maturity status. The predictive capacity of the models was 87.3% in late maturers, 92.3% in on-time maturers and 93.5% in early maturers. The prediction models are a reliable and cost-effective method to estimate SA in male soccer players.
format Article
id doaj-art-386aa8dda5724ce6bfdd73c910021087
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-386aa8dda5724ce6bfdd73c9100210872025-08-20T02:00:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-00402-xSkeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer playersLuis Alberto Flores0Christopher McLaren-Towlson1Lidia G. De León2Fabiana Bonito3Pedro Mil-Homens4Iván Peña-González5Maria Isabel Fragoso6Faculty of Physical Culture Sciences, Autonomous University of ChihuahuaUniversity of HullFaculty of Physical Culture Sciences, Autonomous University of ChihuahuaLaboratory of Physiology and Biochemistry of Exercise, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, CIPER, Universidade de LisboaNeuromuscular Research Lab, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, CIPER, Universidade de LisboaSports Research Centre, Department of Sport Sciences), Miguel Hernández University of ElcheLaboratory of Physiology and Biochemistry of Exercise, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, CIPER, Universidade de LisboaAbstract This study focus is to develop a new model to estimate skeletal age (SA) as a function of the state of biological maturation in male soccer players, and to propose cut-off points to classify the state of biological maturation based on the percentage of adult height (PAH). SA was determined in 747 Portuguese male soccer players, using the Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) 3 method, and PAH was predicted by TW3 (P-TW3) and Khamis-Roche (P-KR) methods. Subsequently, the sensitivity and specificity of the P-TW3 were estimated to classify late, on-time and early maturers to obtain cut-off points, by age; and to develop specific equations for each maturation stage. Both the model using P-TW3 and the model using P-KR showed a SA predictive capacity of 93%. The average differences were similar to zero. P-TW3 cutoff points were established by ROC curve analysis to identify late and early maturers according to their SA. Following, predictive models were developed to estimate SA according to maturity status. The predictive capacity of the models was 87.3% in late maturers, 92.3% in on-time maturers and 93.5% in early maturers. The prediction models are a reliable and cost-effective method to estimate SA in male soccer players.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00402-xBiological maturitySoccer playersSkeletal agePercentage of adult height
spellingShingle Luis Alberto Flores
Christopher McLaren-Towlson
Lidia G. De León
Fabiana Bonito
Pedro Mil-Homens
Iván Peña-González
Maria Isabel Fragoso
Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
Scientific Reports
Biological maturity
Soccer players
Skeletal age
Percentage of adult height
title Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
title_full Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
title_fullStr Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
title_full_unstemmed Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
title_short Skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
title_sort skeletal age prediction models by maturity status in male soccer players
topic Biological maturity
Soccer players
Skeletal age
Percentage of adult height
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00402-x
work_keys_str_mv AT luisalbertoflores skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers
AT christophermclarentowlson skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers
AT lidiagdeleon skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers
AT fabianabonito skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers
AT pedromilhomens skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers
AT ivanpenagonzalez skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers
AT mariaisabelfragoso skeletalagepredictionmodelsbymaturitystatusinmalesoccerplayers