The somatotype and dermatoglyphic profiles of adult, junior and juvenile male Brazilian top-level volleyball players

Abstract

Aims: The somatotype is believed to influence volleyball performance. Additionally, the impression of the digitals is also believed to assess the physical potential of athletes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the somatotype and dermatoglyphic profiles of players of three Brazilian national volleyball teams: adults, juvenile and infant-juvenile. Materials and methods: A total of 38 male players included in the three national teams were observed. The subjects were submitted to an evaluation to identify the dermatoglyphic profile by means of fingerprints, following the protocol of Cummins and Midlo (1942). The digital impressions (DI) designs were used to determine the different patterns and the predominant types of digital form. The subjects were also submitted to an evaluation of the somatotype by the anthropometric method of Carter and Heath (1990). Results: The main findings of the present study were that the infant-juvenile and the juvenile national Brazilian teams are classified on Class III of the Dermatoglyphic and Somato-Funtional Index Classification; while the adult team is classified on Class IV of the same referential. The somatotype of the volleyball players in the present study was similar to those described in the literature for other elite national volleyball teams. We have found a lower endomorphism in the juvenile team and a lower ectomorphism in the adult team. © 2009.