Correct Response: B. As the proportion of limb-to-torso length changes during an adolescent growth spurt, coordination and balance can become more challenging because the body's center of gravity shifts, and muscles and tendons may not develop as quickly as limb (long bone) length. Muscles and tendons that are stretched by rapid bone growth tend to be tight and inflexible, and joint flexibility would temporarily decrease rather than increase (A). Technical skill tends to improve after musculature and proprioception have adjusted to the changes in bone structure, so immediate improvements in skilled performance would not occur (D). Growth in the length of connective tissues does not always keep up with rapid bone growth, which may contribute to temporary declines in flexibility, but connective tissue does not lose elasticity as a result of bone growth (C).
