Understanding Peak Height Velocity: A Crucial Factor in Managing Injury Risk in Junior Athletes
When it comes to nurturing junior athletes, the road to peak performance isn't just paved with reps and drills, it's mapped by biology. One key marker? Peak Height Velocity (PHV) which is the fastest rate of growth in stature during adolescence. Knowing when an athlete hits PHV is like reading nature’s roadmap for safe and effective training with our junior athletes.
PHV typically occurs around:
Ages 11–13 for girls
Ages 13–14 for boys
It's the period when growth spurts are at their most dramatic, driven by hormonal changes during puberty. During this phase, bones lengthen rapidly, but the muscles, tendons, and ligaments don’t always keep pace. This creates a temporary mismatch in strength and coordination increasing the risk of injury if not managed carefully.
Growth spurts influence biomechanics and motor skill. Here’s how monitoring when PHV helps reduce injury risk:
Predicts vulnerability windows: Athletes are most prone to overload injuries, such as Osgood-Schlatter disease and Sever’s disease, during and just after PHV.
Informs training load: If athletes during this period are constantly fatigued, coaches may use PHV as a reason to reduce training load to nurture growth. However, PHV does not mean we need to reduce training load. Being reactive is important.
Supports recovery strategies: Understanding growth phases allows targeted interventions like physiotherapy, recovery and nutrition
Improves talent development: PHV helps identify whether performance dips are due to physical maturation rather than lack of effort or skill.
Tracking PHV is simple and non-invasive:
At the Centre of Excellence, junior athletes’ height, seated height and weight are measured quarterly. We then calculate estimated PHV and work out how many years athletes are away from that point.
During PHV, coaches and trainers should:
Prioritise movement efficiency rather than load
Focus on fundamental skills and proprioception
Allow for flexible programming based on individual needs
Encourage open communication with athletes, parents and coaches
This is a sample report of our Junior Athletic Movement Assessment, observing maturational status over 4+ years and quantifying movement competency biannually to individualise the athlete’s training programs.
Respecting PHV isn’t just about avoiding sprained ankles, it’s about safeguarding potential. By timing training around an athlete’s biological blueprint, we maximise performance gains while hopefully minimising setbacks.
