Scheer Volker, Hoffman Martin D
Ultra Sports Science Foundation, Pierre Benite, France -
British Forces Germany, RRU Sennelager, Normandy Barracks, BFPO 16, Sennelager, Germany -
J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2019 Aug;59(8):1363-1368. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09495-7.
Physical inactivity is associated with chronic disease and premature death, but excessive exercise can also lead to injury. Ultramarathon running is popular among adults but has not been assessed in children. To analyze ultramarathon participation in children and to determine if they continue running ultramarathons into adulthood provide some evidence of associated health risks.
Race results databases were used to identify ultramarathon finishers under the age of 19 between 1960-2017. Participation trends across calendar years, age groups and different race distances were analyzed and continued participation into adulthood examined.
A total of 7775 finishes by 5418 individual children were recorded worldwide with an increase in ultramarathon finishers over time (P<0.0001), with the greatest number among older age groups (>16 years) and the 50 and 100 km race distances. Less than 25% of childhood ultramarathon runners continued running ultramarathons into adulthood and approximately 12% continued beyond 20 years.
Childhood participants has been growing exponentially over the last 20 years. While few of those children continue to complete ultramarathons into adulthood, the finding that some have continued well into adulthood suggests there is no obligate serious adverse physical impairment resulting from childhood ultramarathon participation.
缺乏身体活动与慢性疾病及过早死亡相关，但过度运动也可能导致受伤。超级马拉松在成年人中很受欢迎，但尚未在儿童中进行评估。分析儿童参与超级马拉松的情况，并确定他们是否成年后仍继续参加超级马拉松，可为相关健康风险提供一些证据。
利用比赛成绩数据库识别1960年至2017年间19岁以下的超级马拉松完赛者。分析历年、年龄组和不同比赛距离的参与趋势，并研究成年后的持续参与情况。
全球共记录了5418名儿童的7775次完赛成绩，超级马拉松完赛者数量随时间增加（P<0.0001），年龄较大组（>16岁）以及50公里和100公里比赛距离的完赛者数量最多。儿童时期参加超级马拉松的跑者中，不到25%成年后仍继续参加超级马拉松，约12%持续参与超过20年。
在过去20年里，儿童参与者数量呈指数增长。虽然这些儿童中很少有人成年后仍继续完成超级马拉松，但一些人持续到成年期的这一发现表明，儿童参与超级马拉松并不会必然导致严重的身体损害。
