Changes in Aerobic Capacity Indicators of Prepubertal Children in Sports

Aim: To evaluate the influence of football training on the aerobic capacity of prepubertal children.

Methods: There were two study groups: 16 prepubertal children training in football (3 hour per week) and a control group (11) who did not exercise regularly. The research was carried out in two stages. During both stages, a portable Oxycon Mobile (Germany) O2 / CO2 gas analysis system was attached to the back of the subjects. The above analysis system was followed by aerobic capacity indicators: absolute oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) l / min, relative oxygen consumption l / min, maximum lung ventilation (VE peak) l / min. Maximum heart rate (HR max) tv / min. rated with a Polar Accurax Plus (Polar, Finland) sensor. These parameters were evaluated during a consistently accelerating running test on the treadmill. For the first 4 minutes, the treadmill moved at a speed of 6 km/h with a 1% slope, after which it accelerated consistently. These tests were performed twice: at the beginning of the study and after 6 months. Data were processed by SPSS 26 software package.

Results and Discussion: The homogeneity (anthropometric data) of the study groups was verified by Levene and Shapiro-Wolf tests. No statistically significant differences were found. After the first half of the year, VO2 peak of prepubertal children training in the football group increased from 1518 ± 0.195 l / min. to 1,641 ± 0.157, so the change was statistically significant (Sig α). When assessing HR max after half a year it increased from 197.06 ± 5.15 to 200.50 ± 5.96. The peak lung ventilation rate (VE peak) also increased from 54.32 ± 9.59 to 59.87 ± 6.28 l/min, so the result is also statistically significant (Sig α) (see 1 table). Only the peak pulmonary ventilation rate (VE peak) of non-athletic prepubertal children had a statistically significant change over 6 months: it increased from 50.45 ± 2.50 to 51.14 ± 2.21 l/min. The result obtained is statistically significant (Sig α).
Our study shows the results, which are very similar to a Runacres et al. (2019) study, which also observed a higher increase in VO2 peak and other indicators in prepubertal children depending on attendance of football training sessions.

Conclusions: VO2 peak, HR peak and VE peak of prepubertal children attending football training showed a statistically significant increase. VE peak of prepubertal children who do not exercise regularly increased. Other indicators of aerobic capacity in prepubertal age children who do not exercise regularly did not show a statistically significant change.