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Table 1 Physical characteristics and foot morphologies in 400-m sprinters and non-sprinters

From: A pilot study on the importance of forefoot bone length in male 400-m sprinters: is there a key morphological factor for superior long sprint performance?

 

Sprinters

Non-sprinters

P value

Body height, cm

175.4 ± 5.1

174.4 ± 4.2

0.452

Body weight, kg

64.8 ± 5.1

66.3 ± 6.1

0.358

Heel to big toe, cm

26.2 ± 0.7

26.1 ± 1.1

0.809

Heel to second toe, cm

25.9 ± 0.9

25.9 ± 1.0

0.988

Maximum foot length, cm

26.2 ± 0.7

26.2 ± 1.1

0.879

Forefoot bones of the big toe

 Distal phalanx, mm

23.5 ± 1.7

23.9 ± 1.9

0.474

 Proximal phalanx, mm

33.4 ± 1.8

32.5 ± 2.0

0.117

 Metatarsal, mm

66.9 ± 2.5

64.2 ± 3.3

0.002

 Total length, mm

123.8 ± 5.1

120.6 ± 5.1

0.030

 Relative total length, % of FL

47.2 ± 1.6

46.0 ± 1.1

0.006

Forefoot bones of the second toe

 Distal phalanx, mm

11.1 ± 1.2

11.1 ± 1.2

0.962

 Middle phalanx, mm

13.0 ± 2.2

12.2 ± 2.3

0.209

 Proximal phalanx, mm

30.9 ± 1.9

30.2 ± 1.4

0.114

 Metatarsal, mm

81.0 ± 2.3

79.5 ± 3.0

0.044

 Total length, mm

136.2 ± 5.2

133.0 ± 5.2

0.038

 Relative total length, % of FL

51.9 ± 1.4

50.8 ± 1.5

0.010

Mid-foot bones (mm)

 Medial cuneiform

24.8 ± 1.7

24.8 ± 1.7

0.993

 Intermediate cuneiform

20.5 ± 1.2

20.8 ± 1.3

0.349

 Navicular

19.7 ± 1.9

19.8 ± 1.6

0.692

Rearfoot bones (mm)

 Talus

59.8 ± 2.6

60.7 ± 2.7

0.221

 Calcaneus

79.8 ± 2.8

81.3 ± 3.5

0.100

  1. Values are presented as mean ± SD. The relative total lengths of the forefoot bones of the big and second toes were normalized with the maximum foot length (FL), and expressed as a percentage. Italics values indicate a significant difference (P < 0.05) between sprinters and non-sprinters