The Relationship Between BMI, Lean Mass, and Body Fat Percentage with Balance in Collegiate Archers

For shooting sports, static balance and stability can have a dramatic impact on successful athletic performance and may be a key contributing factor in determining the difference between an elite vs an intermediate archer. More specifically, archers need to have a firm foundation and adequate balance during practice and competition. Prior studies, using various types of athletes, have evaluated the relationship between body composition and flexibility, coordination, etc. However, there appears to be no prior studies that compared BMI, body fat percentage (BF%), leg lean mass (LLM), and trunk lean mass (TLM) with balance in archers. PURPOSE: To investigate the potential relationship between BMI, BF%, LLM, and TLM on balance in collegiate archers in order to determine if archers should consider incorporating training to improve body mass or segment lean mass. METHODS: After having height (170.73 + 7.48 cm), weight (71.02 + 13.31 kg), and age (20 + 1.55 yrs) recorded, 11 (7 males, 4 females) collegiate archers had their body composition (ie. BF%, LLM, TLM, and BMI) assessed. Then, after the completion of a general dynamic warm-up and a series of flexibility tests (ie. sit and reach, back scratch test, and trunk extension), subjects had their balance, with a balance system, evaluated via an athletic single leg assessment feature. During that assessment, the individual performed a single leg stance on a platform that decreased the amount of friction underneath the platform over 30 seconds and scoring was determined by how much movement occurred with the center of pressure. RESULTS: There was no relationship between balance and BF% (p = .790 r = -.091) and a low correlation occurred with balance and BMI (p = .387 r = .290). However, there was a moderately high correlation between balance and TLM (p = .028 r = .656) and a high correlation between balance and LLM (p = .003 r = .801). CONCLUSIONS: BF% appears to have no relationship with balance, while BMI has very little impact. Yet, LLM and TLM may influence static balance. Future research may be required to evaluate LLM and TLM with balance using a larger population in order to further explore this potential relationship and perhaps further understand the factors that affect balance.