Can Our Fingers Alone Raise Us Up to the Sky? Analysis of the Digit Ratio Association with Success in Olympic Wrestling

• Published in: Collegium antropologicum Vol. 39; no. 3; p. 515
• Main Authors: De la Cruz-Sánchez, Ernesto, García-Pallarés, Jesús, Torres-Bonete, María Dolores, López-Gullón, José María
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Hrvatsko antropološko društvo 20.11.2015
• Subjects: 2D:4D; combat sport; Kinanthropometry; performance predictor; training experience
• ISSN: 0350-6134; 1848-9486

The aim of this study is to analyse the contribution of the second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) to success in wrestling. A total of 180 elite wrestlers who participated in the 2011 Spanish Wrestling Championship took part in this study (132 men, 23.6±6.1 years old; 48 women, 21.7±4.9 years old). Prior to competition, wrestlers were interviewed about their years of training experience and their hands were scanned. 2D:4D was calculated using computer-assisted image analysis. A multinomial logistic regression coefficient to calculate odd ratios (OR’s) and 95% confidence intervals (CI’s) were established to determine the contribution of digit ratio and training experience to success in Olympic wrestling. Additionally, mean and median analyses were calculated between males and females, and between successful and non-successful wrestlers in order to establish differences in 2D:4D and training experience between these groups. There were no differences between successful and non-successful wrestlers in 2D:4D (p=0.87 for right hand, and p=0.46 for left hand), whereas having high training experience supposed an increase up to 4.38 (1.70 – 11.01) times more likely to be successful. Our results suggest that 2D:4D fails in predicting wrestling success, whereas training background is a good predictor of competition prowess in highly trained wrestlers.