The latest reported study
to contemplate our digit ratios seems to have taken place while enjoying the
sun soaked Cornish beaches. To be specific, Newquay in 2009 (it takes a long
time to drag oneself away to write the paper and then get the knowledgeable
peer-reviewers to leave off waxing their boards and get to work.)
Kilduff, Cook, and
Manning have been down on the beach with their rulers to check on the entrants
to the 2009 Men’s 5-Star Professional World Qualifying Series surfing competition (1). I spotted a reference to this gem in the
Annals of Improbable Research (2).
In summary, the 46
competitors were graded by three coaches for ability and the results compared
with right and left hand ratios of digit number 2 to digit number 4. Their
actual placement in the competition was thrown into the mix as a final check (on
the coaches judgment, presumably).
It seems that to be good
at surfing you need to have a low 2D:4D value on your right hand. The left hand
ratio doesn’t work out, so you’d best keep that hand out of sight.
Of course, this is all
down to your Mom as your digit ratio is a function of your prenatal
testosterone and estrogen levels. More testosterone means lower digit ratio,
more estrogen, conversely, means a higher ratio. Nowhere did I see any mention
if the surfers were all right handed.
Similar results have been
found for other sports, but for now if your digit ratio on your right hand is
less than 0.994, get that wax out and get your board down to the beach; we’ll
be cheering you on.
- L.P. Kilduff, C.J. Cook,& J.T. Manning, J. Strength Cond. Res., 25, 3175, (2011)
- http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume17/v17i6/AIR_17-6-Improbable-Medical-Review.pdf
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