title: Anthropometric and physical performance characteristics of professional handball players: influence of playing position.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of the study were to examine the anthropometric and physical performance characteristics of professional handball players classified by playing position.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one competitors (age: 25.2±5.1 years) were categorized as backs, pivots, wings or goalkeepers. Measures included anthropometrics (body height and mass), scores on the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (total distance covered, TD), repeated-sprint ability (6 repetitions of 2x15-m shuttle sprints with recording of best time for a single trial, RSAbest) and performance on a complex handball test (HBKT) of throw slap (TS) and throw jump (TJ) with and without precision.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anthropometric data revealed a significantly lower body height for wings and pivots than for goalkeepers. Wings, pivots and goalkeepers were significantly shorter than backs, but had a similar BMI. The TD was greater for the wings (2.400 m) than for backs (1.832 m) and pivots (2.067m). Wings also achieved a better RSAbest (5.41 s) than backs (5.68 s) or pivots (5.82 s). Body height was significantly related to throw slap (TS) and jump (JT) (r=0.53, P<0.01; r=0.51, P<0.01 respectively). No significant difference (P=0.675; η2=0.009) was seen between JT with precision and JT without precision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substantial differences of body build and physical performance between playing positions underline the importance of a careful assignment of such positions and the development of position-specific training for professional handball players by modifying both intermittent aerobic and anaerobic endurance components of training sessions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schwesig
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research (UR17JS01) &quot;Sport Performance, Health and Society&quot;, Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Ksar Saîd, University of &quot;La Manouba&quot;, Tunis, Tunisia - hermassi_fr@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Souhail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hermassi
authors.affiliation: Center for Orthopedic Surgery (ZOC), Muenden, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fieseler
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Irlenbusch
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noack
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Stefan
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Delank
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Roy J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shephard
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research (UR17JS01) &quot;Sport Performance, Health and Society&quot;, Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Ksar Saîd, University of &quot;La Manouba&quot;, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed-Souhaiel
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chelly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult