Second Digit Length, Fourth Digit Length and Second to Fourth Digit Ratio (2D:4D): Relevance in the Choice of Female Footballer Athletes and Female Non-Footballer Athletes in Nigeria. Several studies have shown the importance of anthropometric measurements as a veritable tool in forensic science, crime detection, as well as a means of studying variations in human populations.
The fourth digit is the ring finger of the human hand and the second most ulnar finger located between the middle finger and the little finger. While the second digit is the index finger, which is the first finger and the second digit of the human hand. Further evidence for this digit specific relationship with prenatal sex hormones comes from the finding that the fourth digit appears to be more sensitive to androgens than the second digit; this is evident because it is far more likely to have hair growing on the middle segment of the digit.
In Nigeria, there was no significant difference in digit ratio between the Yoruba and Igbo ethnic groups. When testosterone increases in later life it activates these pre-existing structures, because pre-natal testosterone is stable. It follows that it can be adequately measured at any
time as opposed to blood or saliva testosterone.
The authors postulated that 2D:4D is a predictor of potential sports ability and that the understanding of the mechanisms underpinning this relationship would give important insights into musculoskeletal fitness, health and disease This report is not in agreement with our finding since digit ratio is not a potential predictor of sporting abilities but digit lengths.
Anthropol Open J. 2017; 2(1): 23-28. doi: 10.17140/ANTPOJ-2-109
