Total and Regional Body Composition of NCAA Division I Collegiate Female Softball Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate total, regional, and throwing versus non-throwing arm body composition measures across the 4 major positions of NCAA Division I female softball players using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (n=128). Total and regional total mass (TM), fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and visceral adipose tissue were measured. Athletes were separated into: pitchers (n=32), catchers (n=13), outfielders (n=39), and infielders (n=44). ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD assessed total and regional differences between positions. Although no significant total or regional LM differences were observed across positions, outfielders had significantly (p=0.006–0.047) lower total-body, arm, and trunk TM and FM, leg FM, and leg BMC in comparison to pitchers. The throwing arm had significantly (p<0.0001–0.018) greater LM, BMD, and BMC than the non-throwing arm for all positions. Notably, there were minimal body composition differences among softball positions, with the primary differences being that pitchers had larger total and regional fat values than outfielders. The throwing arm of all positions had greater LM, BMD, and BMC than the non-throwing arm. These values can be used by coaches and trainers as descriptive DXA data for collegiate softball players.

Total and Regional Body Composition of NCAA Division I Collegiate Basketball Athletes

“…Males' inter-positional VAT mass comparisons revealed centers and power forwards to have higher VAT mass than all other positions. Furthermore, the current study's females demonstrated a similar VAT mass range (57.1-290.8 g) to that recently reported [16] in female softball players (80.1-220.8 g), with centers having higher VAT mass compared to point guards and shooting guards.…”

“…The current study also compared VAT mass across male and female basketball player positions. To date, five known studies have reported VAT mass in a male athlete (football, baseball) [14,15,17] and female athlete (equestrian, softball) [13,16] population. Previously, Bosch et al [18] examined sex-specific VAT mass accumulation in healthy male and female non-athletes, reporting males' and females' VAT mass to significantly increase upon individuals reaching a BF % threshold of 23.4 % and 38.3 %, respectively.…”

“…Importantly, previous studies have not (a) measured basketball athletes' regional body composition using DXA or (b) compared total and regional composition across all five basketball player positions. Furthermore, only five known studies have examined VAT mass in any athlete population [13][14][15][16][17]. Quantifying VAT mass is important, as it is associated with cardiometabolic risk and thus indicative of an individual's health [17][18][19][20].…”

The Effects of Body Mass Index on Softball Pitchers’ Hip and Shoulder Range of Motion

“…With research reports suggesting that both decreased ROM and increased BMI are associated with an increased risk of injury, it can be theorized that an increased BMI may be exaggerating ROM deficits leading to an increased risk of injury [24]. Although there have been proposed mechanisms of injury related to higher BMI in athletes, the purpose of the current study was to examine if functional characteristics of hip and shoulder ROM were related to BMI classification.…”

“…Injury rates are already a concern among softball pitchers, as research has shown pitchers are 2.6 times more likely to be injured than positional players. Of similar concern, reports have also revealed pitchers displayed the highest body fat percentage on a collegiate softball team [24] and were the only players on NCAA Division I collegiate teams to increase body fat throughout the course of a season [25]. This highlights the need for research to determine the effects of increased BMI within pitchers, who undergo large physical demands in their pertinent role on the field, and who are regularly exposed to high pitch counts and injury [26].…”