[The menarche and its impact on schoolgirls' physical qualities].

OBJECTIVES Ascertaining the age when the menarche occurs in school girls living in Angra dos Reis/RJ and the pattern of physical qualities in periods during puberty using the menarche as the benchmark for sexual maturation. METHODS The sample consisted of 232 10-to 16-year-old girls, divided into four groups according to sexual maturation. Following an interview during which the onset of the menarche was recalled, motor tests were scheduled for assessing physical qualities, lower limb power, running speed, flexibility and relative and absolute maximum oxygen consumption. Descriptive statistics were used for assessing the age of onset of the menarche; one-way ANOVA and Pearson's coefficient of correlation (p<0.05) were used for analyzing the physical qualities' pattern according to the onset of the menarche. RESULTS The onset of the menarche was set at 12.23 ± 1.2 years; significant differences were found regarding lower limb power, running speed, absolute and relative maximum oxygen consumption. CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of the onset of the menarche agreed with other studies carried out in Brazil. Lower limb power and running speed were seen to increase during puberty, absolute maximum oxygen consumption increased (tending to decline two years after the menarche) and relative oxygen consumption decreased.