Somatometric indicators of 8-10-year-old athletes specializing in hand-to-hand combat

Abstract

Introduction. It is clear that the significant physical and psycho-emotional stress experienced by young athletes during the period of growth and formation of organs and systems is a major reason for increased demands on their bodies, and therefore, under certain circumstances, can lead to a range of changes in physical development and health. In the context of understanding the risks of musculoskeletal system pathologies in young athletes, experts emphasise the increasingly pronounced effect of a range of exogenous and endogenous determinants. Almost half of modern children and adolescents should be identified as carriers of anthropometric and phenotypic signs of connective tissue dysplasia. It is determined that close attention is paid to the problem of correction of non-fixed disorders of the musculoskeletal system in young athletes. Scientists have developed a wide range of methods and means of physical rehabilitation, sports rehabilitation aimed at correcting disorders of posture and foot biomechanics, while programmes for correcting posture disorders, the support and resistance properties of the foot are not always integrated into the list of rehabilitation activities for young athletes. The purpose of the study is to determine the somatometric characteristics of young athletes specialising in hand-to-hand combat. Research methods: theoretical analysis and generalisation of literary sources; pedagogical observation, to determine the types of posture the programme «Torso» was used, visual screening of the state of biogeometric profile of posture of young sportsmen, pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics. The results. In the course of the study, it became obvious that the differences between 9-10 years old athletes from different typological groups are more noticeable. This confirmed the statistical significance of the differences between the typological groups in tibia circumference (p<0.05) and foot width (p<0.01). Further application of the method of multiple comparison showed that in the first case we are talking only about differences between groups with normal posture (x=26.1) and flat back (x=30.25), and in the case of foot width – the differences between athletes with a stooped back (x=8.3) and normal posture (x=8.1), on the one hand, and children at risk of posture disorders (x=9.06), on the other hand. Conclusions. During the analysis of the results of the experimental search, it was determined that the width of the foot in athletes aged 8-9 and 9-10 does not differ significantly. There are no differences in hip and lower leg circumferences, foot length and width between 8-9 years old athletes with different types of posture. At the same time, athletes aged 9-10 with normal posture differ from those with a flat back by having a smaller lower leg circumference, and from athletes at risk of postural disorders by having a smaller foot width.