Study of the anthropometric indices of muscle mass in different sports modalities of all genders.

Abstract

Muscle mass is one of the main components of an athlete's body weight. Its development is related to the biomechanical gesture and the strength required to physical activity. The aim of the study was to assess musculoskeletal development by means of anthropometric indices in sports with different demands. The sample comprised 780 subjects (58.2% male), age 23.8 ± 4.7 years. Six sports were included: olympic shooting, long-distance running, hockey, kayaking, artistic gymnastics, and weightlifting. Muscle mass (MM) was estimated by Lee's equation (Lee et al. 2000), in kg, as a % of weight, in kg in relation to height squared (MMI, kg/m2) and by allometric muscle mass index (AMMI, kg/mb, Canda 2022) relative to height (H), arm span (A-S), sitting height (S-T), biacromial breadth (BIAC) and tibial height (T-H). The mean, male vs. female, was: MM, 33.6 ± 4.4 kg vs. 23.1 ± 2.8 kg; 45.9 ± 3.7% vs. 39.7 ± 3.7%; MMI, 10.92 ± 1.35 vs. 8.63 ± 0.89; AMMIH 12.92 ± 1.57 vs. 11.04 ± 1.12; AMMIA-S, 14. 00 ± 1.61 vs. 12.10 ± 1.24; AMMIS-T, 38.69 ± 4.41 vs. 28.96 ± 2.88; AMMIBIAC, 154.76 ± 15.08 vs. 95.89 ± 9.23; AMMIT-H, 79.14 ± 9.93 vs. 54.65 ± 5.92. Males achieved higher values (p < 0.01) in all variables and modalities. ANOVA (p < 0.001) gave differences between modalities in all indices. Weightlifting had the highest mean in kg and indices, while the highest muscle percentage was found among artistic gymnastics. The lowest mean in kg and indices was in long distance races and in percentage in Olympic shooting. Allometric indices can be useful tools for the assessment and estimation of muscle mass regardless of the size of the athlete and in relation to the modality practiced.