Influence of restricted knee motion during the flat first serve in tennis.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_B827021547F6
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
Influence of restricted knee motion during the flat first serve in tennis.
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research / National Strength and Conditioning Association
Author(s)
Girard O., Micallef J.P., Millet G.P.
ISSN
1064-8011 (Print)
ISSN-L
1064-8011
Publication state
Published
Issued date
08/2007
Volume
21
Number
3
Pages
950-957
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the influence of restricted knee motion during the serve in tennis players of different performance levels. Thirty subjects distributed in 3 groups (beginner, B; intermediate, I; elite, E) performed 15 flat first serves with normal (normal serve, S(N)) and restricted (restricted serve, S(R)) knee motion. In S(R), the legs were kept outstretched by splints with a knee joint angle fixed at 10 degrees (0 degrees fully extended) to prevent any knee flexion/ extension. Vertical maximum ground reaction forces (Fz(max)), ball impact location (L(impact)), and ball speed (S(ball)) were measured with force platform, video analysis, and radar, respectively. Fz(max), L(impact,) and S(ball) were higher (p < 0.001) in S(N) than in S(R). S(ball) was significantly (p < 0.001) dependent on performance level, with higher values recorded in E than in B or I. From S(R) to S(N), increase in L(impact) was greater (p < 0.01) in E than in other groups and increases in Fz(max) and S(ball) were correlated (r = 0.69, p < 0.01) in E only. Knee motion is a significant contributor to serving effectiveness whatever the performance level. Skilled players perform faster serves than their less skilled counterparts, and this is partly related to a more forceful lower limb drive.
Keywords
Adult, Analysis of Variance, Biomechanics, Humans, Knee Joint/physiology, Male, Movement/physiology, Radar, Range of Motion, Articular/physiology, Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted, Task Performance and Analysis, Tennis/physiology, Video Recording
Pubmed
Create date
25/09/2008 8:01
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:26
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