The Relationship between Posture and Somatotype with Performance of Iran National Dragon Boat Women

Success in a specific sport field requires not only good physical condition but
also knowledge of body structure and somatotype suitable for that sport. The aim
of the present study was to study the relationship between posture and somatotype
with biomechanical performance of Iran national dragon boat women. All 20
dragon boat rowers of Iran national team participated in this study as the sample.
Postural parameters (kyphosis, lordosis, dorsal and lumbar scoliosis, and uneven
shoulders) and biomechanical parameters (speed, strength, and anaerobic
capacity) were the variables of the research. Descriptive statistics such as mean
and standard deviation as well as inferential statistics including one-sample t test,
multivariate regressions, and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis at
P?0.05. The findings showed that most rowers suffered from postural deviations to
some extent. Comparing the average postural parameters of the rowers and the
control group revealed that rowers had higher levels of lordosis, lumbar scoliosis,
and uneven shoulders. A significant relationship was observed between speed and
strength with postural parameters while there was no significant relationship
between anaerobic capacity and postural parameters. Moreover, in terms of
somatotype, there was a significant relationship between mesomorphy and
anaerobic capacity. The results indicated a relationship between a percentage of
spinal deviation and somatotype of dragon boat women and rowers. In order to
have a clearer interpretation of the results of the present research, more studies,
especially longitudinal, are suggested in this regard.