69 HORMONAL, AUXOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOMETRIC ASPECTS IN YOUNG FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Hormonal parameters (SmC, GH, Testosterone (T) and DHAS), lenght and width measures, body composition and biological maturation (bone age, pubic hair, testicular volume) indicators were used to evaluate during puberty the sport effects in boys playing football. Me examined 150 pubertal boys 10-16 yrs aged (mean 12.98±150) (B.A.: 10-18 yrs) playing football 6-14 hrs weekly over 2-9 yrs and 110 control subjects (physical activity lower than 3 hrs weekly). All the boys were divided, according to C.A., into 3 groups (10-12, 12-14, 14-16 yrs). 10-12 and 12-14 yrs groups football players Mere equally tall as controls, while leg lenght was lower (p<0.05) and the ankle width was higher (p<0.05); their biological maturation indicators were equal to controls. In 14-16 yrs group several anthropometric parameters (height, weight, sitting height, biacromial diameter) were higher than controls, but pubic hair (p<0.0001), testicular volume (p < 0.001) and B.A. (p < 0.08) were more advanced in these group compared to controls. Considering B.A. instead of C.A., in 14-16 yrs group the differences between football players and controls disappeared. Regarding hormonal parameters basal levels of SmC, T and DHAS in young athletes were no different from those of peer controls, while GH basal levels were significantly higher in 10-12 and 12-14 yrs groups. In conclusion boys that play football show an increase of anthropometric parameters with an earlier adolescent spurt.