Correlation of static balance and anthropometric characteristics in Iranian elite male and female shooters

The present study was carried out to study the role of static balance and anthropometric indices in the shooting sports and its impact on the performance of the shooters with the aim of informing the shooting sports specialists and correcting weaknesses in male and female shooters. Anthropometric characteristics, weight, height (standing and sitting positions), two hands, arm length, leg length, the actual length of the foot, knee width, resting and contracting arm circumference, arm circumference, hip circumference, the mid-thigh, the knee, the leg, the ankle, BMI, percent body fat, WHR, and two tests for balance, i.e. Sharpened Romberg and stork, were evaluated for 32 shooters (16 women and 16 men from among the pool of 45 shooters of the National Shooting Team) and 32 controls (16 females and 16 males). The results showed that comparison of the stork balance with anthropometric indices revealed significant difference only in weight variable in female participants and the width of the knee in male participants. No sifnificant relationship was observed between Sharpened Romberg test indices and any of the anthropometric indices in females (except for weight) and males either. Shooters were observed to have better balance compared with that of the control group. Moreover, comparison of anthropometric indices of the adult male and female elite shooters showed that there is a significant difference among all the anthropometric indices. It can be concluded that the Iranian elite shooters have a significantly higher static balance in comparison with that of the control group.