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Abstract
IntroductionThe second to fourth-digit-ratio (2D:4D), a putative marker of prenatal androgen action and a sexually dimorphic trait, has been suggested to be related with fitness and sports performance, although results are not univocal. Most studies however focus on a single aspect of physical fitness or one sports discipline.MethodsIn this study the 2D:4D ratio of 178 adolescent girls (age 13,5–18 y) was measured on X-rays of the left hand. The relation between 2D:4D digit ratio and multiple aspects of physical fitness (balance, speed of limb movement, flexibility, explosive strength, static strength, trunk strength, functional strength, running speed/agility, and endurance) was studied by correlation analyses and stepwise multiple regression. For comparison the relation between these physical fitness components and a selected number of objectively measured anthropometric traits (stature, mass, BMI, somatotype components and the Bayer & Bailey androgyny index) are presented alongside the results of 2D:4D digit ratio.ResultsLeft hand 2D:4D digit ratio (0.925±0.019) was not significantly correlated with any of the physical fitness components nor any of the anthropometric variables included in the present study. 2D:4D did not enter the multiple stepwise regression for any of the physical fitness components in which other anthropometric traits explained between 9,2% (flexibility) and 33,9% (static strength) of variance.ConclusionUnlike other anthropometric traits the 2D:4D digit ratio does not seem to be related to any physical fitness component in adolescent girls and therefore most likely should not be considered in talent detection programs for sporting ability in girls.
Highlights
The second to fourth-digit-ratio (2D:4D), a putative marker of prenatal androgen action and a sexually dimorphic trait, has been suggested to be related with fitness and sports performance, results are not univocal
Many of the published studies on sporting ability and 2D:4D focused on one aspect of physical fitness, mostly static strength as measured by handgrip strength [3,13,15,16,17], or a number of different sports [1,2,7,8,10,14,18,19] and only a few studies report data for adolescents [6,9,18,19]
With the exception of the sit and reach test, all physical fitness components were correlated significantly with two or more of the other 7 anthropometric measurements with correlations being strongest for static strength, functional strength and endurance
Summary
The second to fourth-digit-ratio (2D:4D), a putative marker of prenatal androgen action and a sexually dimorphic trait, has been suggested to be related with fitness and sports performance, results are not univocal. Many of the published studies on sporting ability and 2D:4D focused on one aspect of physical fitness, mostly static strength as measured by handgrip strength [3,13,15,16,17], or a number of different sports [1,2,7,8,10,14,18,19] and only a few studies report data for adolescents [6,9,18,19]. To our knowledge currently there are no studies reporting the potential relation between the 2D:4D digit ratio and multiple aspects of objectively assessed physical fitness in adolescent girls
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