Coaches are continually looking for ways to identify which of their athletes have the most potential for greatness. About 10 years ago, researchers discovered that something called digit ratio can help identify high performance potential in male athletes. The digit ratio is the relative length of the second (digit) and fourth (ring) fingers, and is found by dividing the length of the second digit (2D) by the length of the fourth digit (4D). A low 2D to 4D ratio (2D: 4D) on the right handis correlated with better sports performance.
2D:4D is dependent upon fetal testosterone. Why high fetal testosterone correlates with improved sports performance is unclear, but it has been postulated that the vascular system is affected by early fetal testosterone levels. In fact, high levels of 2D:4D are linked to early myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis in men. And the correlation is stronger for aerobic rather than strength sports.
2D:4D has been studied in relation to male performance in surfing, skiing, middle- and long- distance running, sprinting, and general physical fitness. All the studies show that low 2D:4D is strongly correlated with improved performance compared to those with a high 2D:4D. Unfortunately, the correlation has not been examined in females.
Coaches can thus use 2D:4D as an additional tool to evaluate their athletes' potential.
I'm thinking that Dr. Jekyll got waaaaaay too much fetal testosterone. Know what I mean?
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