Hand Anthropometry of Italian Elite Male Swimmers

Hand size is part of the anthropometric parameters that are assessed in swimmers to select elite athletes, as certain anthropometric relationships involving hand measurements are significantly correlated with sports performance in various swimming disciplines. The authors present the results of the anthropometric study carried out on the hands of 15 elite male Italian swimmers from to the Italian national open water swimming team. All swimmers participated at least once in World Cup and Absolute Italian Championships, winning at least one medal in their sporting career. In particular, the sample includes a medallist at the World Championships, a winner of the World Cup ultra swim marathon circuit and medallists at the European Championships. The sample consisted of 15 elite male swimmers with a mean age of 28.93 years. The following anthropometric measurements were taken on each athlete: Stature; weight; seven dimensions on each hand: hand length; hand breadth metacarpal; palm length; middle finger length; index finger length; thumb distance; and the distance from the thumb root to first flexure line of the index finger - trigger length. The size of the hands is an important factor in the swimmer's propulsion and push as a larger hand allows for greater support in the water and consequently generates more resistance. The anthropometric characteristics of the hands of Italian swimmers are missing from the anthropometric data already reported in the literature and can be used to make comparisons with elite athletes from other nations. Furthermore, anthropometric measurements could be used as predictors to estimate the swimmers' chance of success.