title: Growth velocity and final height in elite female rhythmic and artistic gymnasts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the impact of intensive training on adult final height in elite female rhythmic and artistic gymnasts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 215 rhythmic gymnasts (RG) and 113 artistic gymnasts (AG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  AG were below the 50th percentile, while RG were taller than average. Final adult height was lower than target height in AG, while in RG, it exceeded target height. AG started training earlier than RG (p<0.001) and reported lower intensity of training (p<0.001). RG were taller than AG, with higher target height, greater Δ final height-target height and lower body fat and BMI (p<0.001). Using multiple regression analysis, the main factors influencing final height were weight SDS (p<0.001), target height SDS (p<0.001) and age of menarche (p<0.001) for RG, and weight SDS (p<0.001) and target height SDS (p<0.001) for AG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In both elite female RG and AG, genetic predisposition to final height was not disrupted and remained the main force of growth. Although in elite RG genetic predisposition for growth was fully preserved, in elite female AG final adult height falls shorter than genetically determined target height, though within the standard error of prediction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece. neoklisg@hol.gr
authors.forename: Neoklis A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulou
authors.forename: Nikolaos A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Roupas
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rottstein
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsekouras
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mylonas
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vagenakis
authors.forename: Eftychia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koukkou
authors.forename: Anastasia K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Armeni
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakellaropoulos
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leglise
authors.forename: Apostolos G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vagenakis
authors.forename: Kostas B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Markou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D055815:Young Adult