Analysis of Differences of Morphological Characteristics in Younger Recreational Football and Handball Players : Undergraduate Thesis

Cilj ovog rada odnosno istraživanja je analizirati razlike morfoloških karakteristika između mlađih rekreativnih nogometaša i rukometaša kadetskog uzrasta. U skladu s navedenim ciljem za istraživanje je korišten uzorak od 15 mlađih rekreativnih nogometaša te isto toliko mlađih rekreativnih rukometaša. Svi ispitanici su da bi pogreška bila što manja mjereni u isto doba dana, istim instrumentima, istom tehnikom te je uvijek bio prisutan isti ispitivač (mjeritelj). Navedeni ispitanici su uz pomoć antropometrijskih instrumenata (antropometar, vaga, klizni šestar, kaliper i cm vrpca) mjereni u slijedećim antropometrijskim varijablama: visina tijela, težina tijela, dijametar lakta, dijametar ručnog zgloba, dijametar koljena, dijametar skočnog zgloba, opseg nadlaktice, opseg podlaktice, opseg natkoljenice, opseg potkoljenice, kožni nabor nadlaktice, kožni nabor podlaktice, kožni nabor natkoljenice, kožni nabor potkoljenice, kožni nabor prsiju te kožni nabor trbuha. Iz izmjerenih varijabli za svakog ispitanika pojedinačno, osim parametara deskriptivne statistike i testne vrijednosti za nezavisne uzorke izračunat je i sastav tijela koristeći program po Matiegki. Analizom rezultata utvrđena je razlika između rukometaša i nogometaša u morfološkim karakteristika odnosno u varijablama kožnog nabora prsiju i trbuha te u većoj količini masnog tkiva (sastav tijela) kod rukometaša u odnosu na nogometaše. Navedena razlika se očituje u specifičnim zahtjevima rukometne igre gdje su kontakti između igrača mnogo češći nego što je to u nogometu.The purpose of this study is to analyse and to present the differences in morphological characteristics between junior recreational football and handball players. A total of 15 junior recreational football players and the same number of handball players were included as a sample. Sampling technique was purposeful; in order to minimize the errors all the players were evaluated at the same time of the day, the same instruments were used and the measurements were applied by the same, trained and experienced researches. A range of anthropometric instruments such as anthropometer, weight scale, sliding compass, spreading caliper/skinfold calipers and measuring tape were used as data gathering tools. Following anthropometric measurements were evaluated: height, weight, diameters of the joints (ie elbow, wrist, knee and ankle), limbs circumferences (ie forearm, upper arm,thigh and calf) as well as the skin fold thickness (at mid-upper and forearm, thigh, calf, chest and abdomen). The values of the individual measurements for each player,in addition to the statistical data as well as the independent samples test results, were used to estimate body composition using the Matiegka protocol equations (Matiegka method). The results show that there was a difference in the morphological characteristics between football and netball players; in particular in the skin fold thickness at the chest and abdomen indicating higher body fat level (which is one of the body composition components) at handball players comparing to footballers. This difference is reflected in the specific requirements of the handball game, where contacts between players are much more common than they are in football