Monitoring the physical development of elite handball players

The aim of the study was to determine the main morpho-functional indicators of physical development in highly qualified female handball players. Materials and Methods. The study involved 27 highly qualified female athletes from the women's handball club "Halychanka." All longitudinal body measurements were taken using a standard stadiometer and anthropometric methods. The athletes' physical development was assessed using indices that calculated specific physical development parameters and compared them to normative values (weight-to-height ratio, chest-to-height ratio, strength index, and muscular development index). Morphofunctional diagnostics of body composition included calculating body composition components using Y. Mateyka's formulas. The morphofunctional profile of highly qualified handball players included the following indicators: height (cm), body weight (kg), and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²); percentages and absolute values of fat, muscle, and bone components (%, kg); and handgrip strength of flexor muscles (kg, dynamometry). Results. This study describes the physical development indices of highly qualified female handball players from the "Halychanka" club. The average age of the participants was 20.67±2.89 years. Their average body weight was 69.06±6.19 kg, falling within the 75th–90th percentiles, indicating above-average values. The average height was 174.01±3.82 cm, consistent with the stature of highly qualified athletes. Compared to 18–20-year-old females, the height of the handball players (starting at 171.5 cm) corresponded to the 96th percentile, indicating tall stature. The BMI was 22.82±1.88 kg/m², within the normal range for athletes and corresponding to the 50th–75th percentiles for females aged 18–20. The handgrip strength of the right hand was 34.04±4.23 kg and the left hand 32.89±5.24 kg. The average body surface area was 1.75±0.15 m². The Brugsch chest-to-height index was 52.80±1.49 units, indicating a normal chest structure for all athletes; the Erisman index was 3.98±2.57 cm, within the normal range for women, showing proportional chest development relative to height. Chest excursion values were 7.61±2.01 cm, reflecting average levels. The muscular development index was 11.56±3.95 units, indicating well-developed shoulder muscles, while the strength index was 57.47±2.96%, meeting the norm for most athletes. Body composition analysis showed the following: absolute bone mass 9.19±0.99 kg, relative bone mass 15.26±0.79%; absolute fat mass 9.78±1.48 kg, relative fat mass 15.91±1.62%; absolute skeletal muscle mass 30.54±3.14 kg, relative skeletal muscle mass 44.83±2.11% of total body weight. Conclusions. Using anthropometric data, six indices characterizing the body composition of highly qualified female handball players from the main and reserve squads of the "Halychanka" team were calculated. Analysis of the obtained data showed that the physical development indices of the handball players met normative values, with muscular development and strength indices exceeding the norm, characteristic of elite athletes. These findings can form the basis for developing a morphological model of physical development indices for highly qualified female handball players and serve as a benchmark for selecting athletes for high-performance sports.