The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sports par-ticipation on skinfold thicknesses in middle-aged and elderly persons with spinal cord injury. The subjects were nineteen paraplegics, including five non-athletes and fourteen athletes who participated in wheelchair sports regularly (marathon, tennis and basketball). Skinfold thicknesses at 28 sites were measured with B-mode ultrasonic wave echo assessment. Skinfold thicknesses at sites of upper limbs and upper trunk were a little greater in the athlete groups than the non-athlete group. In order to classify the subjects according to the distribution of fat deposits, a cluster analysis was applied to the data. This analysis revealed that the subjects could be classified into two clusters (a marathon cluster and a non-athlete cluster) and others. When compared with the non- athlete cluster, the marathon cluster showed greater skinfold thicknesses at sites of upper body in disagreement with the data of able-bodied marathon runners.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.17/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE