000161075 001__ 161075
000161075 005__ 20251017144620.0
000161075 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1249/MSS.0000000000003755
000161075 0248_ $$2sideral$$a144214
000161075 037__ $$aART-2025-144214
000161075 041__ $$aeng
000161075 100__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-1832-273X$$aLópez-Plaza, Daniel$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000161075 245__ $$aMenarche as maturational factor in young swimmers’ development of morphological, physical and performance characteristics over a year of training (accepted for publication)
000161075 260__ $$c2025
000161075 5203_ $$aPurpose
At the age of menarche, there is a significant increase in the secretion of sex hormones, affecting physical and morphological growth. This study aimed to investigate the impact of menarche on the development of body dimensions, fitness level, technical skills and performance in pubertal female swimmers over one year of training.
Methods
Nineteen young swimmers within the same age group (11–12 years) were assessed in two consecutive years. Participants were allocated into two groups (Menarche and Pre-menarche) based on the presence of menarche in the transition from the 1st to the 2nd year. Anthropometric measures, physical fitness (countermovement jump and handgrip), skill tests (glide and 10 m underwater from start and push) and specific performance tests (50, 100, and 200 m) were evaluated.
Results
Menarche-based differences were identified in handgrip strength, 10 m underwater from push, and sprint performance in the 2nd year (P < 0.05), with menarcheal girls showing greater improvement in these attributes throughout the year. In contrast, premenarcheal swimmers exhibited greater increases in body dimensions (stature, body mass, foot and hand lengths) up to 9.5% and improved performance in the 200 m, reducing the significant differences compared to menarcheal girls in the 2nd year. Muscular strength, hand length, and 10 m underwater performance were significantly associated with short-distance performance, especially in menarcheal girls (r > 0.59), while maturity and training were more related to 200 m performance (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
These findings highlight the different timing of improvement in female swimmers’ attributes based on menarche. Along with the age at peak height velocity (APHV), the age of menarche might be a valuable tool for monitoring and adapting training and talent identification processes.
000161075 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess$$aAll rights reserved$$uhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/
000161075 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000161075 700__ $$aAlacid, Fernando
000161075 700__ $$aAbellán-Aynés, Oriol
000161075 700__ $$aQuero-Calero, Carmen Daniela
000161075 7102_ $$13001$$2187$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Expres.Music.Plást.Corp.$$cÁrea Didáctica Expres.Corporal
000161075 773__ $$g57, 10 (2025), 2278-2285$$pMed. sci. sports exerc.$$tMEDICINE AND SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE$$x0195-9131
000161075 8564_ $$s2747015$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/161075/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000161075 8564_ $$s1138089$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/161075/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000161075 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:161075$$particulos$$pdriver
000161075 951__ $$a2025-10-17-14:21:23
000161075 980__ $$aARTICLE