Published in

Human Kinetics, Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 3(30), p. 401-406, 2014

DOI: 10.1123/jab.2013-0065

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Effects of String Stiffness on Muscle Fatigue After a Simulated Tennis Match

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Red circle
Preprint: archiving forbidden
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

We tested the influence of string stiffness on the occurrence of forearm muscle fatigue during a tennis match. Sixteen tennis players performed two prolonged simulated tennis matches with low-stiffness or high-stiffness string. Before and immediately after exercise, muscle fatigability was evaluated on the forearm muscles during a maximal intermittent gripping task. Groundstroke ball speeds and the profile of acceleration of the racquet frame at collision were recorded during each match. The peak-to-peak amplitude of acceleration and the resonant frequency of the frame were significantly greater with high- (5060 ± 1892 m/s2 and 204 ± 29 Hz, respectively) than with low-stiffness string (4704 ± 1671 m/s2 and 191 ± 16 Hz, respectively). The maximal and the averaged gripping forces developed during the gripping task were significantly reduced after the tennis match with high- (−15 ± 14%, and −22 ± 14%, respectively), but not with low-stiffness string. The decrease of ball speed during the simulated matches tended to be greater with high- than with low-stiffness string (P = .06). Hence, playing tennis with high-stiffness string promotes forearm muscle fatigue development, which could partly contribute to the groundstroke ball speed decrement during the game.