Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body composition and somatotype with dynamic postural balance in young basketball players. Methods: The sample included 33 young male athletes aged (17.03 ± 0.94 years old). Body composition and somatotype were obtained from anthropometric measurements of diameters, perimeters, and skinfolds. Dynamic postural balance was measured with the modified star excursion balance test (mSEBT) in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions. The Pearson correlation test was used to identify the relationship between body composition and somatotype variables with the dynamic postural balance of the athletes. Results: In the dominant lower limb, body composition showed significant correlations for the anterior direction of the mSEBT with adipose mass (r=-0.741; p=0.001), muscle mass (r=0.662; p=0.009), endomorph (r=-0.822; p=0.009) and ectomorph (r=0.790; p=0.002). Adipose mass also showed significant relationships with the posteromedial (r=-0.413; p=0.037) and posterolateral direction of mSEBT (r=-0.291; p=0.041). In the non-dominant lower limb, in the anterior direction of the mSEBT, there was a significant correlation with the adipose mass (r=-0.691; p=0.009), muscle mass (r=0.472; p=0.025), endomorph (r=-0.778; p=0.001) and ectomorph (r=0.843; p=0.001) somatotypes. Adipose mass was also correlated with the posteromedial (r=-0.451; p=0.012) and posterolateral (r=-0.390; p=0.022) directions of the mSEBT. Conclusions: In the present study, it was possible to find a relationship between the percentage of fat mass, muscle mass, endomorph, and ectomorph somatotypes with the performance of dynamic postural balance in young basketball players.