The Effect of Peak Height Velocity on Strength and Power Development of Young Athletes: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: Maturation is a complex biological process affecting all tissues, organs, and systems, particularly during adolescence. The Peak Height Velocity (PHV) period, a hallmark of adolescent growth spurts, is associated with individual differentiations in the development of performance attributes amongst youth. Understanding the influence of sports participation on strength and power during the PHV period is essential for optimizing training outcomes and reducing injury risk. This scoping review synthesizes the literature on the strength and power development in athletes during the PHV period across various sports, highlighting the interaction between maturation, training, and performance outcomes. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus, supplemented by manual searches, identified peer-reviewed studies from 2004 to 2025. The included longitudinal studies involved structured training and assessed strength-related performance during and around the PHV period. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed. Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. It is found that strength and power are significantly affected during the PHV period and participation in sports mitigates these effects. Training characteristics such as training frequency/volume and sport specificity were key factors. Early maturers often outperformed late maturers, though adolescent awkwardness temporarily reduced performance around PHV. Conclusions: Systematic participation in sports training can limit the phenomenon of adolescent awkwardness in the performance of strength and power. Hence, training programs should be tailored to maturity status, emphasizing skill development, strength training, and injury prevention. Future research should explore individualized training and the mechanisms underlying performance variability during the PHV period.