Body composition and somatotype in professional men's handball according to playing positions

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en 19 jugadores profesionales del Club Balonmano Valladolid. Las mediciones antropométricas fueron realizadas según el protocolo estándar. Se estimaron la masa grasa y ósea, se calculó el somatotipo y se analizaron las diferencias entre las variables en función de la posición. Como resultados, se obtuvo que los pivotes fueron los jugadores más pesados (con mayor porcentaje de masa grasa); los extremos, los más ligeros y los laterales, junto con los pivotes, los más altos. No se observaron diferencias en el IMC en los grupos. En la somatocarta los centrales y laterales se situaron en la zona central; los extremos y los pivotes en la endomorfa-mesomorfa y los porteros en la ecto-endomorfa. Así se evidenció que las variables antropométricas, los datos de composición corporal y la somatocarta de los deportistas confirman las características morfológicas básicas de los jugadores para la posición para la que son más aptosA cross-sectional descriptive study was accomplished in 19 professional players from Valladolid Handball Club. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to standard protocol. Body fat and bone mass were estimated, and the somatotype was calculated. As results, the line players were significantly the heaviest players; the wings were lightest and the backs, with the line players, the tallest. Nevertheless, no significant differences in BMI were observed. Regarding the body composition, the line players showed the highest values of fat-mass. No differences in BMI were observed in the groups. With respect to the somatochart, the center backs and backs were in the central area; wings and line players showed an endomorph-mesomorph development, and goalkeepers were in the ectoendomorph area. As conclusions, anthropometric variables, body composition data and the somatochart of the athletes evaluated confirm the basic morphological characteristics of the players for the position for which they are best suite

Different displacement of bioimpedance vector due to Ag/AgCl electrode effect

Background/Objectives:Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) is increasingly used in clinical research to assess soft tissue hydration. It is known that physical characteristics of electrodes, such as low intrinsic impedance, low electrode/skin contact impedance and type of gel, affect the reliability of noninvasive bioimpedance assessments. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of intrinsic impedance of electrode on the bioimpedance vector displacement in RXc graph.Subjects/Methods:The intrinsic impedance is measured in nine pregelled disposable Ag/AgCl electrodes usually used for bioimpedance measures. The BIVA method is performed on 35 healthy volunteers using a 50 kHz phase-sensitive bioimpedance analyzer (BIA 101 Anniversary) with the lowest intrinsic impedance electrode and highest. The individual bioimpedance vector is plotted on the bivariate normal interval of reference population. The differences in the mean bioimpedance vectors obtained with each electrode are plotted, with their 95% confidence ellipses, on the dRXc graph. The paired one-sample Hotelling's T 2 -test is used to compare the differences of the mean bioimpedance vectors.Results:We found large variability in intrinsic resistance (11-665 Ω) and reactance (0.25-2.5 Ω) values of the electrodes analyzed and significant displacement (P<0.05) of bioimpedance vector positions in healthy adults according to the paired one-sample Hotelling's T 2 -test.Conclusions:A robust study of all physical characteristics of commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes is necessary to reach consensus on pregelled Ag/AgCl electrodes valid for bioimpedance measurement. This information will enable BIVA users to avoid systemic errors when performing BIVA assessments, specifically when these measurements are used for clinical interpretations