Current status of the relationship of digit and phalange length ratios to athletic ability

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2016.29.018

Abstract

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: At present, it is a hot spot to study the relationship between digit or phalange length ratios and athletic ability. However, the results from various studies cannot be verified each other because there are controversies about the research objects and the research technique in the area. Therefore, it is necessary to point a right direction for the research in this field.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships of digit and phalange length ratios to athletic ability and the existing problems by literature search strategies and logic thinking methods.
METHODS: A computer-based online search was conducted in Elsevier Science-direct, PubMed, EM, CNKI, and CJFD databases by using the key words of “digit length ratio, 2D:4D, phalange length ratio, athletic ability” from 1990 to 2015. The language was limited to both Chinese and English. 358 relevant articles were screened, and 42 eligible articles were included finally.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Currently, studies show that there are some relationships between digit phalange length ratio or phalange length ratio and athletic ability. There are controversies about the research results due to the diverse study methods and techniques. It is necessary to define the digit phalange length ratio or phalange length ratio in the human study. The most advanced techniques should be considered to reduce the measurement bias. Moreover, multi-angle, multi-level studies should be performed to reveal the relationship of digit phalange length ratio or phalange length ratio to athletic ability. Human digit phalange length ratio or phalange length ratio, particularly 2D:4D can reflect the aerobic exercise capacity of athletes.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建；骨细胞；软骨细胞；细胞培养；成纤维细胞；血管内皮细胞；骨质疏松；组织工程

Key words: Fingers, Toes, Sports Medicine

CLC Number:

R318

Liang Zhi-dong. Current status of the relationship of digit and phalange length ratios to athletic ability[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2016, 20(29): 4383-4388.

Figures/Tables 1

2.1 纳入资料基本概况检索的48篇文献有人体和动物实验，文献综述等文章[1-48]。 2.2 纳入资料的研究结果特征 2.2.1 指长比与运动能力早在2009年，华南师大的刘承宜和他的研究生就对2D∶4D与运动能力的关系进行了综述[20]，这是国内见诸报端体育领域研究2D∶4D的第一篇。其实这时梁芝栋等对游泳运动员指长比已经进行了实验研究，随后对研究结果进行了报道，运动健将和二级运动员，一级运动员和二级运动员之间，指长比存在着显著性差异，尤其是2D∶4D，2D∶5D和3D∶4D。同时发现，各运动等级的运动员指长比的大小排序为：二级运动员>一级运动员>运动健将[20]。随后又对指长比尤其是2D∶4D 和运动能力进行了单因素方差分析和皮尔逊相关分析，结果显示：游泳运动员的指长比(2D:4D) 与游泳运动能力有关，且与运动等级水平之间呈负相关[21]。随后国内关于运动员指长比的报道越来越多。秦学林[22]对击剑运动员2D∶4D与运动能力关系进行了研究，发现击剑运动员2D∶4D男子低于女子，右手低于左手。虽然研究发现2D∶4D不能预测血红蛋白含量，血清皮质醇和血清睾酮水平等机能水平，但是优秀击剑运动员优势手2D∶4D低于普通运动员。何玉秀等[23]对体能类项目运动员指长比与其运动能力的相关性进行了研究，发现体能类运动员在指长比上存在显著的等级差异，男性2D∶4D、女性2D∶4 D、2D∶5D、3D∶5D与体能类运动员等级呈显著负相关，3D∶4D与运动等级呈显著正相关，这和以前的研究有不太一致的地方。耐力性项群运动员指长比与运动等级的相关性最高。李芳辉[24]报道了小学生2D∶4 D与运动能力和文化成绩呈负相关关系，还有石峰[25]报道了体育院校大学生2D∶4D与文化成绩、体育成绩、体质的相关性，结果和李芳辉的研究一致，也和以往的报道相一致。最近，任占兵等[26]进行了2D : 4 D与跑步经济性的相关性研究，发现2D : 4 D越小，中长跑运动员的跑步经济性越好，这和以往的研究是一致的。在国外，早在1998年一些专家学者就对指长比，尤其是2D∶4D进行了深入研究[4]。在2000年Williams等[1]报道引起了广泛关注。2001年Manning等[7]对不同运动等级的足球运动员的2D∶4D的研究中发现，足球运动员的运动等级和2D∶4D呈负相关关系。Paul等[27]对女性运动员进行了指长比研究，发现2D∶4 D和运动成绩也呈负相关关系，而这种关系在游泳、自行车、网球和赛跑项目表现的更突出，Pokrywka等[28]也证实了这一点，他们认为优秀女性运动员的左手2D∶4D显著低于普通女性，2D∶4D可以预测女运动员的运动能力。Tester和Campbell[29]的研究显示，男性和女性的运动成绩和2D∶4D有显著的负相关系。Voracek等[30]研究发现女子击剑运动员2D∶4D越低，运动等级越高，在剔除年龄、体脂百分比、训练年限、训练强度、伤病以及社会因素的影响后，2D∶4D与运动等级的相关性更高，这和Bescos等[31]的报道的相一致。Manning等[32-33]又提出，2D∶ 4D 对力量型运动员的预测是微弱的，比如握力[34]，但对有氧运动的运动员预测却非常有效。最近，一些研究表明，2D∶4D与橄榄球、滑雪和中长跑等项目运动员的表现呈负相关[35-37]。研究还发现，2D∶4D与男性青少年运动员的最大摄氧量和最大乳酸值呈负相关[38-39]，还与睾酮水平、肌肉质量、力量以及体能相关。这些研究进一步佐证了运动水平与睾酮水平之间存在内在联系。最近Ranson等[40]对小学生健康体适能与2D∶4D的关系进行了研究，发现男性学生的短跑、立定跳远，握力都和2D∶4D有显著的负相关关系。这和以往的研究又出现矛盾，但是就目前研究来看，2D∶4D和有氧运动能力存在显著性负相关关系，已经达成共识，因此2D∶4D可以作为有氧耐力运动员的选材。研究表明，指长比主要受胚胎期激素(睾酮和雌二醇)浓度的影响，这种胚胎期激素，一方面来自于母体子宫腔内的激素水平，一方面来自于胎儿自身的分泌[41]，激素水平还会影响到中枢神经系统的分化，进一步对肢体的运动能力产生影响。如Manning等[42]的另一研究还表明，2D∶4D值低的儿童左手的操作能力比2D∶4D值高的儿童强很多。甚至雄性激素水平还可以作为提前预测某些特征出现的指标[4]。Jürimäe等[16]对年轻的游泳者进行了研究，结果表明性激素不是唯一的影响指长比的激素参数，还可能与生长素等有相关关系。不同的激素水平最终使指长比产生了形态学上的差异，同时激素对人体其他生理功能也有影响，如良好的心脏功能、较好的右侧大脑发育、较高的立体空间能力、较高的男性个性品质等，这些因素也许都会对运动能力产生影响。 2.2.2 趾长比与运动能力就目前掌握的文献来看，有关人类趾长比的研究很少，趾长比与运动能力之间关系的研究，更是一片空白。趾长比相关的研究重要集中在非人灵长类，比如猕猴[43]，猩猩，狒狒上面[44-47]。作为和指长比有着相同的遗传稳定性，发育影响因素的趾长比，为什么研究的那么少？这值得思考，可能原因和趾长测量的技术手段有关。关于这方面的的研究，未来将是一个广阔的创新空间。 2.3 小结 2.3.1 研究对象要明确从国内外关于指(趾)长的研究报道中，可以看出研究对象还有待进一步明确。比如指长比，实际上研究指骨长比会更为准确。因为从现有报道中，可以发现在对研究结果进行分析时，都是在讨论基因，激素等对指骨发育的影响，而没有提及指骨外面的软组织。这样用指长来代替指骨长，相信一定会存在着误差。还有运动能力，它是指人参加运动和训练所具备的能力，是人的身体形态、素质、机能、技能和心理能力等因素的综合表现。用运动等级、血红蛋白含量，血清皮质醇和血清睾酮等水平来间接代表运动能力，是不是存在着误差？有待进一步明确。"

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