A comparative study on skinfold thickness over active and inactive muscles

The objective of the study was to compare in subcutaneous fat of biceps and triceps of athletes engaged in games which unevenly involve dominant side and non dominant side and the games which do not. Subjects were purposively selected from under graduation I semester and divided into two groups O and B according to the game they had been playing, at least 5 days a week, for at least three years. Group O comprised games in which athlete use one arm actively than the other during practice and playtime (badminton, tennis, volleyball or throws in track and field). Group B consisted of games which have relatively less difference in use of both arms (running, football, yoga, weight lifting and power lifting). Skinfold measures were taken from biceps and triceps of dominant and non dominantarms. Standard protocol of Harpenden Skinfold Caliper handbook were followed to mark the sites of skinfold measurement (Harpenden Skinfold Caliper Handbook 2018). Initially 25 male students were taken from each group O and B but after removing outliers 21 in each remained. To analyse the data paired t-test was used at 0.05 level of significance, for both the groups. The outcome of the study concluded that there is no significant difference between skinfold thicknesses of dominant and non-dominant arm biceps and triceps of Group B, there is no significant fat difference between dominant and non-dominant arm triceps of O group but there is significant difference between dominant and non-dominant biceps of O group and value of skin fold measures were found more in non dominant arm biceps than dominant arm biceps.