BJSM

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER


[Advanced]
Published Online First: 28 September 2006. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.027193
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2006;40:981-983
Copyright © 2006 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
bjsm.2006.027193v1
40/12/981    most recent
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Read responses to this article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this link to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Add article to my folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Paul, S N
Right arrow Articles by Fields, K B
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Paul, S N
Right arrow Articles by Fields, K B

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The Big Finger: the second to fourth digit ratio is a predictor of sporting ability in women

S N Paul, B S Kato, J L Hunkin, S Vivekanandan, T D Spector

Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor Spector
Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK; tim.spector{at}kcl.ac.uk

Background: The second to fourth finger length ratio (2d:4d) is thought to be related to diverse traits including cognitive ability, disease susceptibility, and sexuality.

Objective: To examine the relationship between 2d:4d and sports ability in women.

Methods: Hand radiographs from 607 women (mean age 54 years) were used to estimate 2d:4d. Ranking of sports ability was on a scale (1–5).

Results: The highest achieved level of participation in any sport was significantly negatively associated with 2d:4d (b = –4.93, p = 0.01) as was the relationship between 2d:4d and running level (b = –6.81, p = 0.034). Ability in other sports also showed a negative relationship albeit non-significant.

Conclusions: These results suggest that a low 2d:4d ratio is related to increased female sports ability. It can be postulated that this ratio may predict potential sports ability. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning this relationship may give important insights into musculoskeletal fitness, health and disease.

Keywords: finger length ratio; ability; profiling; talent identification; women

 

Commentary

K B Fields

Moses Cone Health System, Greensboro, NC, USA; bert.fields{at}mosescone.com




eLetters:

Read all eLetters

understanding correlations
Ian Shrier
BJSM Online, 19 Dec 2006 [Full text]

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER
Terms and conditions relating to subscriptions purchased online  ¦  Website terms and conditions  ¦  Privacy policy
Copyright © 2006 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine