El BODY COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS OF BARRANQUILLA FÚTBOL CLUB FUTSAL PLAYERS

Abstract

Introduction. Futsal is a sport characterized by a combination of high volumes of medium- and low- intensity exercise, played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A somatotype is a taxonomy used to describe a person’s physical form. Unlike in individual sports, in team sports it is very difficult to identify the player’s ideal morphotype, thus the functional and physical characteristics of team players can be better described and quantified using a science called kinanthropometry. Objective. The study aimed at determining the body composition and physical fitness of futsal players from the Barranquilla Fútbol Club in Colombia. Materials and methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study of body composition and physical fitness of futsal players was carried out. The measurements included players’ age, body weight, body height, BMI, and somatotype; 5-component body composition fractionation (adipose, muscular, bone, residual, skin tissue); and physical fitness tests: endurance, strength, and maximum oxygen uptake (V02max). An Excel database and SPSS ver. 25 software package were used for statistical analysis. The normality test revealed that the variables were distributed in a normal way, which permitted the use of the Pearson correlation coefficient in the bivariate analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results. The study involved a total of fourteen Barranquilla F.C. professional male futsal players aged 23.67 ± 3.5 years, with mean body weight of 71.7 ± 10.9 cm and body height of 173.6 ± 6.4. Their mean body composition (adipose mass, BMI) was within the normal range, according to the WHO guidelines. The measurements of mean muscle mass (40.97 ± 5.2 kg) and abdominal skin folds (23.0 ± 17.0 mm) revealed a high percentage of subscapular and medial thigh fat (13.57 ± 8.2 mm) and the presence of endomorphic (3.3 ± 1.8), mesomorphic 4.5 ± 1.5, and ectomorphic (2.6 ± 1.4) somatotypes, i.e. a combined meso-endomorphic somatotype, not ideal for futsal players. Conclusion. It is advisable to assess futsal players’ body composition applying kinanthropometry instead of BMI as a body weight screening index.