Association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference with leg power in cricketers

Cricket is one of the most well-known sports played in India. It not only comprises of aerobic activity but also includes complex-based movements like running, jumping, diving, catching, etc that depend on various individual factors such as height, weight, power, endurance, agility etc. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between BMI, Waist circumference with leg power in cricket players.

The study was a cross-sectional assessment-based study.

Players from different clubs and associations were included.

43 male and female cricketers from both recreational and professional backgrounds, between the age group of 16-25 years were included in the study.

Participants were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria using validated screening tools and assessment protocols. The BMI, and WC using a weighing scale and measuring tape respectively, and leg power was measured using the vertical jump test which is a commonly used tool to measure an athlete's ability to explosively drive themselves off the ground in a vertical direction, providing insight into the strength and power generated by the lower muscles.

A significant negative correlation was found between Waist circumference and Leg power with r value of -0.338 with p = 0.023. While a significant but weak negative correlation was found between BMI and Leg power with r value of -0.279 with p = 0.070.

Present study concluded that waist circumference has a significant negative correlation with leg power than BMI in cricketers.