Anthropometric features of wheelchair marathon race competitors with spinal cord injuries.

The anthropometric data of the health check programme in the Oita Wheelchair Marathon Race were analysed. In the past 10 years, a total of 2677 competitors participated in this programme. Age, height, body weight, body fat, lung vital capacity, girth of chest, girth of upper arm, grasping force and power of upper arm were compared between 710 fine competitors and 99 poor competitors. Power of the upper arms and lung vital capacity played a major part in the result of the races. It was suggested that these two factors had major influences on the achievement of this type of sports activity.