This research will analyze and compare the muscle activation levels, muscle recruitment timing, trunk kinematics, and shoulder joint kinematics between the four forehand strokes and between elite table tennis players with and without shoulder injuries, providing insights for daily training and rehabilitation programs to reduce the occurrence of sports injuries.
The study participants will be elite table tennis players aged between 13 and 40. Participants must have competed in the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Ranking Tournament or the National Table Tennis Championships within the past three years and have at least four years of table tennis experience, and train for more than 10 hours per week. The study involves four types of forehand strokes: forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
40
forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Taipei, Taiwan, Taiwan
RECRUITINGTrunk muscles activation during forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack
The root mean square of electromyography (EMG) data of bilateral erector spinae and bilateral abdominal external oblique will be normalized by the maximum voluntary contraction amplitude (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction, %)
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Trunk kinematics during forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack
Trunk kinematics, including flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation, were measured in degrees (°) across four conditions: forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack.
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Upper limbs muscles activation during forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack
The root mean square of electromyography (EMG) data of the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, anterior deltoid, and pectoralis Major will be normalized by the maximum voluntary contraction amplitude (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction, %) and calculated over forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack.
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Trunk mobility
Range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine, described with degrees (°).
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Shoulder mobility
Range of motion of the glenohumeral joint, described with degrees (°).
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
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Shoulder motor control
A clinical assessment of movement quality during shoulder flexion, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Trunk motor control
A clinical assessment of movement quality during trunk rotation
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Shoulder kinematics during forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack
Shoulder kinematics, including flexion, abduction, horizontal adduction and horizontal adduction, were measured in degrees (°) across four conditions: forehand topspin against topspin, forehand topspin against backspin, forehand stroke, and forehand attack.
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Trunk muscle strength
Isometric muscle strength of the erector spinae and external oblique abdominal muscles will be evaluated using a hand-held dynamometer (MicroFET2). Data will be expressed in newton (N).
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment
Shoulder muscle strength
Isometric muscle strength of the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, anterior deltoid and pectoralis major muscles will be evaluated using a hand-held dynamometer (MicroFET2). Data will be expressed in newton (N).
Time frame: Immediately during the experiment