# Effects of rapid physical growth on measures of gait stability in adolescent athletes

> **NIH NIH F31** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2020 · $32,062

## Abstract

Abstract/Project Summary
Youth sports participation has numerous positive mental and physical health benefits. During adolescence, an
increased injury rate has been reported, potentially related to effects of rapid physical growth (growth spurts)
on dynamic movement and a phenomenon called adolescent motor awkwardness. Injury to a young athlete
results in millions of emergency room visits and millions of dollars spent every year and negates many of the
positive benefits gained by participation in sports. There is a critical lack of evidence to support effective
strategies for training and injury reduction in adolescence, as well as how to measure the degree and impact of
adolescent motor awkwardness using quantitative measures of movement biomechanics. We propose to
characterize adolescent motor awkwardness using a biomechanical model of gait of gait dynamic measures of
smoothness and stability with perturbation during treadmill locomotion. Through this study we will: analyze gait
smoothness and stability in adolescents in relation to three-month growth rate (Aim 1) during the ages when
motor awkwardness is commonly reported; assess the relationship between muscle fatigue and gait
smoothness and stability (Aim3); and analyze recovery patterns following perturbation of gait in adolescents
(Aim 3).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9991362
- **Project number:** 1F31HD102167-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Lindsay Clarke
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $32,062
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-24 → 2022-08-23

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9991362

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9991362, Effects of rapid physical growth on measures of gait stability in adolescent athletes (1F31HD102167-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9991362. Licensed CC0.

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