Upper arm circumference is associated with race performance in ultra-endurance runners. Issue 4 (28th June 2007)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knechtle, B; Knechtle, P; Schulze, I; Kohler, G
• Is Part Of: British journal of sports medicine. Volume 42:Issue 4(2008)
• Page Start: 295
• Page End: 299
• Publication Date: 2007-06-28
• Subjects: body mass index -- BMI -- skeletal muscle mass -- fat mass -- stage race; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; 617.1027
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsm.2007.038570
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-3674

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To investigate the association of anthropometric parameters to race performance in ultra-endurance runners in a multistage ultra-endurance run. Design: Descriptive field study. Setting: The Deutschlandlauf 2006 race in Germany, where athletes had to run 1200 km within 17 consecutive days. There were no interventions. Subjects: In total, there were 19 male Caucasian ultra-endurancerunners (mean (SD) 46.2 (9.6) years, 71.8 (5.2) kg, 179 (6) cm, BMI 22.5 (1.9) kg/m 2 ). Main outcome measurements: Determination of body mass, body height, length of lower limbs, skin-fold thicknesses, circumference of limbs, body mass index (BMI), percentage skeletal muscle mass (%SM), and percentage body fat (%BF) in 19 successful finishers in order to correlate anthropometric parameters with running performance. Results: A significant association of upper arm circumference with the total running time was found (p<0.05, r2 = 0.26). No significant association was found with the directly measured anthropometric properties body height, body mass, average skin-fold thickness and the circumference of thigh and calf (p>0.05). Furthermore, no significant association was observed between the running time and the calculated parameters BMI, %BF, and %SM (p>0.05). Conclusions: In an ultra-endurance run over 1200 km within 17 consecutive days, circumference of the upper arm was the only factor associated with performance in well-experienced ultra-endurance runners. Body mass, BMI, body height, length of limbs, skin-fold thicknesses, circumference of limbs and the calculated percentage body composition of skeletal muscle mass and body fat showed no association with running performance.