Cent Eur J Public Health 2023, 31(1):38-42 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7484

Comparison of performance and anthropometric parameters in paediatric competitive athletes during COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic

Dalibor Pastucha1, 2, Ladislav Štěpánek3, Michal Botek4, Radka Filipčíková5, Jana Zapletalová6, Štěpán Hudec2, 7, Dagmar Horáková3
1 Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava and University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
2 ReFit Clinic s.r.o., Olomouc, Czech Republic
3 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
4 Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
5 Domažlice Hospital, a.s., Domažlice, Czech Republic
6 Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
7 Department of Internal Medicine I - Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Objectives: In 2020, measures against the spread of COVID-19 were adopted, including nationwide school closures, restrictions on the free movement of persons and leisure time sports activities. The aim was to assess the impact of COVID-19-associated restrictions on the performance of paediatric and adolescent competitive athletes by comparing basic anthropometric and performance parameters.

Methods: The sample comprised 389 participants (115 girls, 274 boys). All participants were examined during regular preventive sports health checks from September to November 2019 and a year later. At the initial examination, the mean age of the entire sample was 12.2 ± 2.7 years (median 12.0, minimum 7.0; maximum 17.0). The examination consisted of a complete medical history and physical examination including maximal exercise testing on a leg cycle ergometer.

Results: In the entire sample, as well as in the boy and girl subgroups, body height, weight, body mass index (BMI), BMI percentile, and power output significantly increased according to a percentile graph for boys and girls in 2020. A reduction in power output (W/kg) was found. By 2020, W/kg dropped in 56.4% of the youngest participants (7-13 years), 75% of those aged 14-16 years and 64.9% of the oldest individuals (16-17 years). The percentage of the youngest children with power output reductions was statistically significantly lower than the percentages of the other age subgroups (p = 0.007). There were no significant differences in results between genders.

Conclusions: Performance and anthropometric parameters worsened especially among older children. This should be reflected when planning epidemic measures in case of any similar situation in the future.

Keywords: athlete, COVID-19, sport, anti-epidemic measure, physical activity, cardiovascular performance

Received: May 30, 2022; Revised: March 11, 2023; Accepted: March 11, 2023; Published: March 31, 2023  Show citation

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Pastucha D, Štěpánek L, Botek M, Filipčíková R, Zapletalová J, Hudec Š, Horáková D. Comparison of performance and anthropometric parameters in paediatric competitive athletes during COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2023;31(1):38-42. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a7484. PubMed PMID: 37086419.
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