A NEW METHOD FOR ANTHROPOMETRIC ACQUISITION OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY PARAMETERS IN ELITE MASTER SWIMMERS

• Published in: Journal of mechanics in medicine and biology Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: ZAMPAGNI, MARIA LUISA, DONA, GIULIA, MOTTA, MARIO, MARTELLI, SANDRA, BENELLI, PIERO, MARCACCI, MAURILIO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: World Scientific Publishing Company 01.03.2006
• Subjects: electrogoniometer; anthropometric measurements; upper arm; carrying angle; faro arm; Master swimmer
• ISSN: 0219-5194; 1793-6810
• DOI: 10.1142/S0219519406001741

The aim of the study was to test the use of a new device for anthropometric acquisition in sports applications. In particular, we used an electrogoniometer (FARO Arm) to analyze the upper extremities in 45 elderly swimmers during the 10th World Masters Championships. Conventional anthropometric parameters were measured by a conventional method (anthropometric) and also by the new method. In order to illustrate the potentiality of the new method, we also introduced a new parameter to describe the arm model in swimmers, the carrying angle. A detailed analysis of the features and potentiality of the new method is reported in the paper. The ANOVA test did not show significant differences between the main anthropometric measurements obtained with the two methods. We concluded that the use of the FARO Arm device is effective for anthropometric measurements in sports applications, as it can reproduce conventional measurements accurately and also estimate new parameters.