Kinesiology, Vol. 43. No. 1., 2011.
Original scientific paper
The relationship between arm span and stature in nigerian adults
Daniel Ter Goon
; Centre for Biokinetics, Recreation and Sport Science, University of Venda, South Africa
Abel Lamina Toriola
; Department of Sport, Rehabilitation & Dental Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
Danladi Ibrahim Musa
; Human Performance Laboratory, Physical and Health Education Unit, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
Simon Akusu
; Human Performance Laboratory, Physical and Health Education Unit, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
Abstract
Studies have shown that the relationship between stature and arm span varies with age and population. Whether this is true for the Nigerian population is not known. This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between stature and arm span in Nigerian adults. Standing stature and arm span of 306 (180 men and 126 women) healthy students between 20 and 49 years of age were measured in February 2009. The arm
span exceeded stature in all the age groups of both genders. The mean difference between the stature and arm span values for women was 4.4±4.5 cm (t=14.24, p<.001) and for men it was 5.8±6.2 cm (t=12.85, p<.001). Gender difference between stature and arm span measurements was statistically significant (t=9.71, p<.001 and t=10.03, p<.001, respectively). Arm span was a good predictor of stature for men (stature=67.63+.577 (Arm span); r=.77) and women (stature=55.16+.642 (Arm span); r=.72), accounting for 59.3% and 51.8% of variance in the subjects’ stature, respectively. The correlation between arm span and stature (r=.82; p<.01) was high and significant in all the age groups. The findings could be of practical significance in sports, ergonomics, growth and development monitoring, and in physical anthropology.
Keywords
cross-sectional study; t-test; age difference; gender difference; linear regression analysis; stature prediction
Hrčak ID:
69601
URI
Publication date:
27.6.2011.
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