Journal of Clinical Physiotherapy Research

Abstract

Introduction: Based on the role of static balance and anthropometric indicators in shooters’ performance, the present study aimed to compare the static balance of female and male shooters in two fields of rifle and pistol with an emphasis on main anthropometric indicators. Materials and Methods: Two static balance tests (Sharpened Romberg and Stork) and 18 anthropometric indicators as well as the descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including: Shapiro-Wilk test, multiple correlation coefficient, PCA, Spearman test, and the one –way analysis of variance test were used to determine the relationship between the static balance and main anthropometric indicators in four groups of female and male rifle and pistol shooters (P≤0.05). Results: The findings showed a significant relationship between stork balance test and anthropometric indicators of knee width among male pistol shooters as well as significant relationship between Sharpened Romberg balance test and anthropometric indicators of weight and BMI among the female rifle shooters and height, sitting height, the length of two hands, and lower limb length among the male rifle shooters. Comparison of the balance mean score among four participating groups in the study indicated that the male pistol shooters had a higher balance than the female pistol shooters and male and female rifle shooters. Discussion: The postural balance of the male pistol shooters and female rifle and pistol shooters was associated with the main anthropometric indicators of weight, BMI, standing height, sitting height, the length of two hands, lower limb length, and knee width. The maximum mean value of stork balance was related to male pistol shooters while the minimum one was related to female rifle shooters. In the Sharpened Romberg test, the maximum mean value was related to male pistol shooters while the minimum value was related to female rifle shooters.