Thomas Creveaux

Relationship between muscle coordination and forehand drive velocity in tennis

This study aimed at investigating the relationship between trunk and upper limb muscle coordination and stroke velocity during tennis forehand drive. The electromyographic (EMG) activity of ten trunk and dominant upper limb muscles was recorded in 21 male tennis players while performing five series of ten crosscourt forehand drives. The forehand drive velocity ranged from 60% to 100% of individual maximal velocity. The onset, offset and activation level were calculated for each muscle and each player. The analysis of muscle activation order showed no modification in the recruitment pattern regardless of the velocity. However, the increased velocity resulted in earlier activation of the erector spinae, latissimus dorsi and triceps brachii muscles, as well as later deactivation of the erector spinae, biceps brachii and flexor carpi radialis muscles. Finally, a higher level of activation was observed with the velocity increase in the external oblique, latissimus dorsi, middle deltoid, biceps brachii and triceps brachii. These results might bring new knowledge for strength and tennis coaches to improve resistance training protocols in a performance and prophylactic perspective.

Relationship between muscle coordination and racket mass during forehand drive in tennis

This study aimed at investigating the relationship between the trunk and upper limb muscle coordination and mass of the tennis racket during forehand drive. A total of 15 male tennis players performed seven series of ten crosscourt forehand drives, both with their personal racket and six rackets with increased mass ranging from 6 to 16% (stepxa0=xa02%) of their personal racket mass. The electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded from nine trunk and upper limb muscles. The onset before impact and EMGrms values of the bursts were individually calculated. Results showed that the ball speed and the muscle activation temporal sequences were similar, whatever the increase in racket mass. Interestingly, in all participants, the activation level of the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and biceps brachii decreased when the racket mass increased, while the variations in the anterior deltoid activation level were correlated to the individual personal racket mass. These findings strongly suggest that the study of muscle activity during tennis practice should be considered as a complementary technique to determine a better adequacy of the racket characteristics to those of the player.

Scapulothoracic kinematics during tennis forehand drive

Scapular dyskinesis is recognized as an abnormality in the kinetic chain; yet, there has been little research quantifying scapular motion during sport tasks. Tennis forehand drives of eight highly skilled tennis players were studied to assess the scapulothoracic kinematics and evaluate repeatability using video-based motion analysis. Scapulothoracic downward/upward rotation, posterior/anterior tilt, and internal/external rotation were computed using an acromial marker cluster. On average, the upward rotation, anterior tilt, and internal rotation varied from 1° to 26°, from 7° to 32°, and from 42° to 100°, respectively, during the tennis forehand drive. During the backswing and forward swing phases of the forehand stroke, small changes were observed for the three scapular angle values, while all angles increased rapidly during the follow-through phase. This suggests that the tennis forehand drive may contribute to scapula dyskinesis, mainly due to the great amplitude in scapulothoracic anterior tilt and internal rotation observed during the follow-through phase. Knowledge of normal scapula motion during sport tasks performed at high velocity could improve the understanding of various sport-specific adaptations and pathologies.

Upper limb joint muscle/tendon injury and anthropometric adaptations in French competitive tennis players

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the upper limb anthropometric dimensions and a history of dominant upper limb injury in tennis players. Dominant and non-dominant wrist, forearm, elbow and arm circumferences, along with a history of dominant upper limb injuries, were assessed in 147 male and female players, assigned to four groups based on location of injury: wrist (n = 9), elbow (n = 25), shoulder (n = 14) and healthy players (n = 99). From anthropometric dimensions, bilateral differences in circumferences and in proportions were calculated. The wrist group presented a significant bilateral difference in arm circumference, and asymmetrical bilateral proportions between wrist and forearm, as well as between elbow and arm, compared to the healthy group (6.6 ± 3.1% vs. 4.9 ± 4.0%, P < 0.01; −3.6 ± 3.0% vs. −0.9 ± 2.9%, P < 0.05; and −2.2 ± 2.2% vs. 0.1 ± 3.4%, P < 0.05, respectively). The elbow group displayed asymmetrical bilateral proportions between forearm and arm compared to the healthy group (−0.4 ± 4.3% vs. 1.5 ± 4.0%, P < 0.01). The shoulder group showed significant bilateral difference in elbow circumference, and asymmetrical bilateral proportions between forearm and elbow when compared to the healthy group (5.8 ± 4.7% vs. 3.1 ± 4.8%, P < 0.05 and −1.7 ± 4.5% vs. 1.4 ± 4.3%, P < 0.01, respectively). These findings suggest that players with a history of injury at the upper limb joint present altered dominant upper limb proportions in comparison with the non-dominant side, and such asymmetrical proportions would appear to be specific to the location of injury. Further studies are needed to confirm the link between location of tennis injury and asymmetry in upper limb proportions using high-tech measurements in symptomatic tennis players.

Influence of racket polar moment on joint loads during tennis forehand drive

T. Creveaux, R. Dumas, L. Chèze, P. Macé and I. Rogowski* Centre de Recherche et d’Innovation sur le Sport-EA 647, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UFRSTAPS, 27-29, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France; Laboratoire de Biomécanique et Mécanique des Chocs – UMR_T 9406 – IFSTTAR, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, 43, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France; Babolat VS, 93 rue André Bollier, 69007 Lyon, France

Tennis Racket Vibrations and Shock Transmission to the Wrist during Forehand Drive

This study aimed to investigate the effects of two different racket models and two different forehand drive velocities on the three-dimensional vibration behavior of the racket and shock transmission to the player’s wrist under real playing conditions. Nine tennis players performed a series of crosscourt flat forehand drives at two velocities, using a lightly and a highly vibrant racket. Two accelerometers were fixed on the racket frame and the player’s wrist. The analysis of vibration signals in both time and frequency domains showed no interaction effect of velocity and racket conditions either on the racket vibration behavior or on shock transmission. An increase in playing velocity enlarged the amount of vibrations at the racket and wrist, but weakly altered their frequency content. As compared to a racket perceived as highly vibrating, a racket perceived as lightly vibrating damped longer in the out-of-plane axis of the racket and shorter on the other axis of the racket and on the wrist, and displayed a lower amount of energy in the high frequency of the vibration signal at the racket and wrist. These findings indicated that the playing velocity must be controlled when investigating the vibration loads due to the racket under real playing conditions. Similarly, a reduced perception of vibration by the tennis player would be linked to decreased amplitude of the racket vibration signal, which may concentrate the signal energy in the low frequencies.

Methodological contribution to study the vibratory behaviour of tennis rackets following real forehand drive impact

Methodological contribution to study the vibratory behaviour of tennis rackets following real forehand drive impact T. Creveaux, V. Sevrez, B. Coste & I. Rogowski a Universite de Lyon, Universite Lyon 1, Centre de Recherche et dInnovation sur le SportEA 647; UFRSTAPS; 27-29, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France b Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully Cedex, France Published online: 30 Jul 2014.

Kinematic differences in upper limb joints between flat and topspin forehand drives in competitive male tennis players

Abstract The topspin tennis forehand drive has become a feature of modern game; yet, as compared to the serve, there has been little research analysing its kinematics. This is surprising given that there is considerably more variation in the execution of the topspin forehand. Our study is the first to examine the amplitude of upper limb joint rotations that produce topspin in the forehand drives of 14 male competitive tennis players using video-based motion analysis. Humerothoracic abduction (-)/adduction (+), extension (-) /flexion (+), and external (-)/internal (+) rotation, elbow extension (-) /flexion (+) and forearm supination (-)/pronation (+), wrist extension (-)/flexion (+) and ulnar (-)/radial (-) deviation were computed. Our findings revealed that the generation of topspin demanded more humeral extension and forearm pronation but less humeral internal rotation angular displacement during the forwardswing. The follow-through phase of the topspin shot was characterised by greater humeral internal rotation and forearm pronation, and reduced humeral horizontal adduction when compared to the flat shot. This study provides practitioners with a better understanding of the upper limb kinematics associated with the topspin tennis forehand drive production to help guide skill acquisition interventions and physical training.

Influence of racket on the variability of humerothoracic joint kinematics during tennis serve: a preliminary study

a preliminary study V. Sevrez, T. Creveaux, R. Dumas, L. Cheze, P. Mace and I. Rogowski* Universite de Lyon, Universite Lyon 1, Centre de Recherche et d’Innovation sur le Sport – EA 647, UFRSTAPS; 27-29, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France; Universite de Lyon, Universite Lyon 1, Laboratoire de Biomecanique et Mecanique des Chocs – UMR_T 9406 – IFSTTAR; 43, boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France; Babolat VS, 93, rue Andre Bolliet, 69007 Lyon, France

Influence of hand-held racket on scapulothoracic kinematics during humeral elevation in the scapular plane in young tennis players: a preliminary study

In overhead activities, and particularly in tennis, themajority of the force required to propel the ball forwards is developed in the legs and trunk in a closed chain manner, funnelled through the scapulohumeral complex and transferred to the racket (Sciascia et al. 2012). Specific segment positions and motions are fundamental for an efficient linkage of multiple segments in such kinetic chain (Sciascia et al. 2012).Among the ideal nodes of the tennis serve, the coupled scapular retraction/arm rotation to achieve cocking in the scapular plane is recommended (Sciascia et al. 2012). The scapula is conflicting as it is required to provide both significant mobility through a large arc of motion and a stable base for arm function (McClure et al. 2012). These competing functions make the scapular region vulnerable to scapular dyskinesis. Such alterations in scapular motions are observed in up to two-thirds of overhead athletes shoulder pathologies (Kibler and Thomas 2012). As a consequence, early evaluation of scapular kinematics is indicated to prevent the athletes risk of shoulder injury, and potentially minimise the occurrence of such injury later in the players career. Moreover, tennis is one of the overhead activities involving an implement, hence questioning the racket influence on scapular motions. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the scapulothoracic kinematics during scaption in young tennis players when holding or not the tennis racket.