Kinematic and Elbow Loading Analyses of Backhand Stroking in Wheelchair Tennis

Compared with regular able-body tennis players, wheelchair tennis athletes suffer from plenty and unmatched sports injuries in the upper extremities, particularly the shoulder and elbow joints. Proposed causes for theses phenomena include reduced length of kinetic chain, insufficient strength and power, limited and inefficient transmission of energy, as well as harmful consequent compensatory changes along the remained body segments and kinetics chain. Improper adaptations may result in excessive stresses and subsequent injuries in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Our previous study about sport injury epidemiology in Taiwan wheelchair tennis players showed that tendinosis and epicondylysis around the elbow joint are the major problems, and likely originate from improper backhand strokes. The current study therefore attempts to feature the wheelchair backhand stoking biomechanics by comparing the movement kinematics of regular and wheelchair tennis players. A 3D electromagnetic motion analysis system and a radar gun will provide movement tracking, joint liner speeds, angular velocities, angular accelerations, and ball speeds of both players during topspin and slicing backhand strokes in standing and wheelchair sitting. Such comparisons and analyses will provide insight evaluations of compensations and adaptations of stroking biomechanics in wheelchair tennis, allowing optimal and efficient training, injury prevention, treating, and rehabilitation.

Project ID:PC9907-0724
External Project ID:NSC99-2410-H182-038