Abstract
Background: The issue of scientific measurement of somatotypes of athletes with physical disabilities and the type of physical activity undertaken by them is poorly documented in the literature. The aim of the study is to determine what type of body composition is characteristic of athletes with physical disabilities, engaging in various types of physical activity, such as swimming, sitting volleyball and weight lifting. Material and methods: Sixty men, aged 20-30, were qualified for the study. Each study participant had a motor dysfunction and was in intellectual norm. For the research protocol, Sheldon’s typology in Heath and Carter modification was used. Results: The group of men with physical disabilities practicing swimming regularly had the advantage of endomorphic and mesomorphic components. A similar distribution of components in the somatotype was demonstrated by men playing sitting volleyball. Men lifting weights clearly showed the dominance of the mesomorphic component and, to a small extent, the share of the ectomorphic and endomorphic components. Conclusions: A properly calculated somatotype allows disabled athletes to learn about body composition components and to train and develop more effectively in a particular physical activity.
Recommended Citation
Kamionka A, Grzywacz E, Lipowski M. Somatotypes of athletes with physical disabilities and the type of activity they undertake. Balt J Health Phys Act. 2020;12(3):47-60. doi: 10.29359/BJHPA.12.3.05
DOI
10.29359/BJHPA.12.3.05
Author ORCID Identifier
Agata Kamionka: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6479-3471; Mariusz Lipowski: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8389-7006
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
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