Relationship between Second Digit Length, Fourth Digit Length and Ratio (2D:4D) and Selected Sport Groups in Ilorin Metropolis

This study aimed at determining the anthropometric measurements of the It was carried out by measuring the digit length of 350 volunteers consisting of 175 males and 175 female hand-sports participants (i.e. Basketball, Volleyball, Table tennis, Lawn tennis and Badminton) non-hand sport participants(i.e. Football, Athletics, Aerobics and Martial arts) and non-sport participants within the ages of 18 to 65 years. Standard measurement processes were observed to obtain accurate digit length using the Digital Vernier Caliper. The data obtained was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS Version 23, Armonk, USA).The results showed that digit ratio is an effective tool for distinguishing male sport participants from non-participants but it is not as effective for the female participants. It also showed that notable differences exist between the individuals that participate in hand-related sports and those who participate in other sports generally. The findings of this study suggest that second and fourth digit lengths and ratios can be adapted as sufficient markers for ascertaining an individual's sporting tendencies for various sport types.

Key Words: Sport, Hand-sport, non-sport participants, Digit Ratio, Digit Lengths, Ilorin