Association Between Maturity Status, Landing Force, and Jump Performance in Adolescent Male Soccer Players
# Background Maturity status varies among adolescents of the same age, making age an unreliable indicator. Although maturity status affects movement patterns, differences in landing force and jump performance among maturity groups remain unclear. # Hypothesis/Purpose This study compared landing f...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
North American Sports Medicine Institute
2025-08-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.142237 |
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| Summary: | # Background
Maturity status varies among adolescents of the same age, making age an unreliable indicator. Although maturity status affects movement patterns, differences in landing force and jump performance among maturity groups remain unclear.
# Hypothesis/Purpose
This study compared landing force and jump performance during drop vertical jump in adolescent male soccer players based on classifications by maturity status and age. A hypothesis was formulated that landing force would be greater during the period of peak height velocity (PHV) and jump performance higher in the post-PHV group, showing clearer differences than age.
# Study Design
Cross-sectional study
# Methods
Forty-five male soccer players (13.5 ± 0.9 years) were grouped by maturity status (pre-, circa-, and post-PHV), and by age. Landing forces (peak vertical ground reaction force \[PVGRF\], time to PVGRF, and loading rate) and jump performance (jump height, contact time, reactive strength index \[RSI\], PVGRF, and power) were measured using a force plate. A one-way analysis of variance was performed to detect group differences.
# Results
Landing forces showed no significant differences among maturity groups (PVGRF: *p* = 0.190; time to PVGRF: *p* = 0.122; and loading rate: *p* = 0.255). Jump height was greater in post-PHV (32.87 ± 4.18 cm) than in pre-PHV (25.17 ± 4.85 cm, *p* = 0.001). RSI was higher in post- (1.33 ± 0.31 m/s) than in pre- (1.00 ± 0.29 m/s, *p* = 0.024) and circa-PHV groups (1.02 ± 0.23 m/s, *p* = 0.021). Power was greater in post- (40.40 ± 6.31 W/kg) than in pre- (33.15 ± 7.78 W/kg, *p* = 0.045) and circa-PHV groups (33.59 ± 5.50 W/kg, *p* = 0.037). Age-related differences were found only in jump height (*p* \< 0.001).
# Conclusion
Maturity status classification detected significant group differences in jump height, RSI, and power, but age classification only detected a significant group difference in jump height.
# Level of Evidence
3 |
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| ISSN: | 2159-2896 |