Comparison Of Anthropometric Variable With Respect To Forearm Muscle Circumference Among Tribal And Non-Tribal Sportsmen With Reference To Age Groups

Abstract: Anthropometric characteristics play an important role in determining physical fitness and sports performance. Among these characteristics, forearm muscle circumference is considered an important indicator of upper limb strength and muscular endurance. The purpose of the present study was to compare forearm muscle circumference between tribal and non-tribal sportsmen of Goa with reference to two age groups (21–25 years and 26–30 years). A total of 100 male sportsmen were selected as subjects for the study, including 50 tribal and 50 non-tribal players from various sports disciplines. The subjects were further categorized into two age groups. Forearm muscle circumference was measured using a standard measuring tape following accepted anthropometric procedures. The collected data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and independent t-test to determine the significance of difference between groups. The results revealed that non-tribal sportsmen demonstrated slightly higher mean values of forearm muscle circumference compared to tribal sportsmen in both age groups; however, the differences were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings suggest that regular sports participation contributes to similar muscular development of the forearm among tribal and non-tribal athletes regardless of age category.

Keywords: ; Anthropometry, Forearm circumference, Tribal athletes, Non-tribal athletes, Age groups, Sports science