Risks of Endurance Training in Minors - A Narrative Review

Authors

  • Jan T. Tomasik Independent Public Healthcare Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
  • Michał S. Bochenek Independent Public Healthcare Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
  • Mikołaj Dubiel Independent Public Healthcare Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
  • Sylwia Wiktoria Kolano Independent Public Healthcare Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
  • Daria Wańczyk Centrum Stomatologii Junior Dent, Kraków, Poland
  • Kinga Filip Military Clinical Hospital With Polyclinic, Kraków, Poland
  • Aleksandra Gródek Military Clinical Hospital With Polyclinic, Kraków, Poland
  • Wojciech Jakubowski HCP Medical Center, Poznań, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/

Keywords:

Pediatric sports medicine, adolescent athlete, endurance training, athletic injuries, pediatric sports risks

Abstract

Background: Participation in endurance sports among children and adolescents is increasing. Pediatric
athletes differ physiologically from adults due to ongoing somatic growth, biological maturation, and endocrine
development, which modify both adaptive responses and injury susceptibility.
Aim: This review synthesizes current evidence on physiological adaptations to endurance training in youth and examines
the major musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and psychosocial risks associated with high training
loads.
Materials and Methods: A narrative review of literature published between January 1990 and January 2026 was
conducted using PubMed and MEDLINE, supplemented by consensus statements from major sports medicine
organizations.
Results: Endurance performance improvements in youth are influenced more by neuromuscular maturation than by large
central cardiovascular adaptations, with modest training-induced changes in VO₂ max before puberty. The developing
musculoskeletal system demonstrates high adaptive plasticity but increased vulnerability to overuse injuries, including
physeal stress injuries and bone stress injuries. Inadequate energy availability may disrupt endocrine function and impair
growth and bone development.
Conclusions: While endurance training promotes beneficial physiological adaptations, the developing athlete remains
vulnerable to overuse injuries, low energy availability, psychosocial stressors, and long-term health risks. Recognition of
these mechanisms is essential for accurate risk interpretation and safe training practices.

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Published

2026-07-13

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 3 (2026)

Section

General Articles

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How to Cite

Risks of Endurance Training in Minors - A Narrative Review. (2026). International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, 15(3), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.6000/

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