Comparative Study of Kinematics and Muscle Activity Between Elite and Amateur Table Tennis Players During Topspin Loop Against Backspin Movements

Biomechanics of Topspin Forehand Loop in Table Tennis: An Application of OpenSim Musculoskeletal Modelling

Topspin is one of the most attacking strokes in table tennis, and topspin forehand loop is an effective way to score. The aim of this study was to investigate the kinematics of the lower extremities in topspin forehand loop between different levels via OpenSim Musculoskeletal Modelling. Ten elite athletes (NL1) and ten medium athletes (NL2) performed the topspin forehand loop without muscle and joint injuries. An eight-camera Vicon motion capture system was used to measure the kinematics data. During the topspin forehand loop, the forward phase (FP) and the entire phase (EP) of the NL1 were significantly shorter than that of the NL2. In the sagittal plane, NL1 significantly had greater hip and ankle flexion and extension at range of motion (ROM) but less hip flexion and knee flexion at FP and less ankle flexion at BP than NL2. In the frontal plane, NL1 displayed less ROM in the hip joint and significantly less hip abduction ROM at the backward phase (BP). In the transverse plane, NL1 had a significantly greater ROM in the hip joint and displayed significantly less hip ROM at the BP. The level differences presented in this study could help table tennis athletes to improve performance and coaches to develop technical training.

Lower Limb Biomechanics during the Topspin Forehand in Table Tennis: A Systemic Review

The aim of this study is to review the valuable lower limb biomechanical contribution to table tennis topspin forehand. Databases included Scopus, PubMed, and Web of science. In this case, 19 articles were selected for the systematic review. The mechanics of the plantar, lower limb joints kinematics and kinetics, muscle activity, and racket-joint relationship are described through gender, performance level, and footwork. The study found that the hip movement characteristics and the hip muscle group activity following a proximal-to-distal sequence strategy significantly contributed to the maximum acceleration of the racket. Optimizing the motion strategy of the ankle and plantar as well as the ankle muscle group activity is beneficial for the transmission of energy in the kinetic chain. Muscle groups around the ankle and subtalar joints are heavily activated during landing to maintain foot stability during the landing phase. Lower limb muscle development plays an important role in movement control and stability as well as sports injury prevention in table tennis footwork during the performance of the topspin forehand. Furthermore, physical development levels and anatomical differences (such as hip and lower trunk muscle strength differences), maybe the main reasons for gender differences observed during the topspin forehand. Systematically summarizing this valuable information can contribute to athletes’ and coaches’ knowledge to enhance topspin forehand performance and training regimes. We suggest that future research could consider the joint contact forces, ball movement, and ball-racket impact during a performance of topspin forehand.

Biomechanical Comparison between Down-the-Line and Cross-Court Topspin Backhand in Competitive Table Tennis

The aim of this study was to compare the kinematic and kinetic differences of the racket arm when balls were hit cross-court (CC) and down the line (DL) by topspin backhand. Eight elite female players participated and were instructed to hit the ball down the line and cross-court using a topspin backhand. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected. The results show that at the impact, participants had a greater wrist flexion angle in DL than CC (p = 0.017). The angular velocity of shoulder flexion (p = 0.038), shoulder abduction (p = 0.006) and thorax-pelvis internal rotation (p = 0.017) was faster when participants impacted the ball DL than CC. As for the joint kinetics, the shoulder external rotation moment was greater in CC than DL (p = 0.043). For a high-quality DL technique, it is important to exhibit a greater wrist flexion and have faster adduction and flexion in the shoulder, as well as faster internal rotation in thorax-pelvis, while having a smaller wrist flexion and more external rotation power in the shoulder are important to perform a CC at the impact. If these key and different factors of hitting CC and DL are ignored, it may lead to failure to complete a high-quality shot.

Sports injuries and risk factors for table tennis among nonprofessional collegiate athletes: A cross-sectional study

Despite the increasing popularity of table tennis worldwide, few studies have focused on table tennis injuries.This study aimed to investigate the injury profiles, including the injury rate, types, locations, and risk factors, among nonprofessional collegiate table tennis athletes in Taiwan.We performed an online investigation among collegiate table tennis athletes of the nonprofessional category in the 2019 National Intercollegiate Athletic Games in Taiwan. Participants provided general information, and data on the characteristics of their play style, training, and injuries were collected. We then categorized these participants into injured and noninjured groups. Injuries were classified as mild, moderate, and severe, based on the time loss in playing table tennis. The risk factors for table tennis-related sports injuries were then identified through between-group comparisons.In total, 150 participants responded to the questionnaire. The average participant age was 21.3 years. Gender differences existed in age categories, forehand rubber, backhand style of play, and average days of training per week. Over the 6 months before the study, 76 of 150 participants experienced at least one injury. The handedness for play was associated with the occurrence of injury. Factors associated with injury severity included using rubber other than inverted rubber for the forehand and not qualifying for the national round of the team category of the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games.With a considerably high injury rate among nonprofessional collegiate athletes, further studies are required on table tennis-related injuries. Playing styles such as handedness and type of rubber used might be associated with the injury. The lower limb was the most common site of injury. These results may provide insights into trainers and coaches for further measures on injury prevention.

Theoretical Aspects of the Correlation of Education and Professional Sports in the Development of Information Technology

The rapid development of modern science and technology has had an unprecedented impact on professional sports, resulting in the need to update the methodology of teaching physical education. The purpose of the study is to analyse the correlations between education and professional sports in the context of the active introduction of information technology. The methodology of theoretical research was used in conducting study. It is determined that the new mode of education does not depend entirely on the advantages of media education, but on the reform of physical education regime. It was discovered that the use of media education technology created conditions for the reform of teaching physical education and sports and led to its recessive function due to the new teaching regime. The necessity of comprehensive analysis in evaluating the model of sports education is substantiated. The study established that the informatisation of sports in educational institutions plays an important role in promoting physical education among students. The semantic importance of school sports modernisation is considered, which includes revising views and ideas on physical education, improving the content and methods of teaching, changing the team composition and management of school sports, and updating school sports and sports evaluation system. The study includes statistical data on the student’s attitude to physical activity and their participation in the physical education. The features of the use of media technologies for the purpose of introducing sports among young people have been established, which consist in positive and negative effects on the personality. The practical value of the study lies in the theoretical substantiation of the correlation features of the educational process and professional sports for their further application in practice

The Application of Statistical Parametric Mapping to Evaluate Differences in Topspin Backhand between Chinese and Polish Female Table Tennis Players

The research is aimed at comparing the kinematics (the movement pattern in the most important joints and accelerations of the playing hand) between female table tennis players coached in Poland (POL) and China (CHIN) during the performance of a topspin backhand stroke (so-called quick topspin). The study involved six female table tennis players at a high sports skill level, playing in Poland's highest league. Three were national team members of Poland (age: 20.3 ± 1.9), while the other three were players from China (age: 20.0 ± 0.0). Kinematics was measured using MR3 myoMuscle Master Edition system—inertial measurement unit (IMU) system. The participants performed one task of topspin backhand as a response to a topspin ball, repeated 15 times. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was calculated using SPM1D in a Python package that offered a high-level interface to SPM1D. The SPM method allowed for the determination of differences between the Chinese and Polish female athletes. The differences found are probably mainly due to differences in the training methodologies caused by different coaching systems. The observed differences include, among others, greater use of the so-called small steps in order to adapt and be ready during the back to ready position and backswing phases, which gives the CHIN players slightly better conditions for preparation for the next plays. The CHIN players' position compared to that of the POL players favours a quicker transition from the backhand to the forehand play. This difference is probably related to the difference in the dominant playing styles of the groups studied. Despite the differences in movement patterns in both groups, the exact value of playing hand was achieved. This may be a manifestation of the phenomenon of equifinality and compensation. All the differences found are probably mainly due to differences in the training methodologies caused by different coaching systems.

Developing a tool to assess technical skills in talented youth table tennis players-a multi-method approach combining professional and scientific literature and coaches' perspectives

Background

The assessment of technical skills as part of a multidimensional approach for talent identification and development in sports seems promising, especially in a technique-based sport like table tennis. However, current instruments mostly focus on a single element of technical skills, mainly use quantitative outcomes, and/or are not developed for talent purposes. Practice would benefit from a new instrument using a more ecologically valid approach. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the essential elements of technical skills in young table tennis players and to establish a first tool while using a multi-methods study design including an archive search for professional literature, a systematic search for scientific literature, as well as ten in-depth interviews with expert coaches.

Results

This approach taken ensured empirical findings to be combined with knowledge and experiences from the practical field and detailed explications by high-level expert coaches. Results for the literature searches yielded 23 professional and 21 scientific articles while data saturation was reached through all ten interviews. The triangulation process resulted in two general (i.e., individuality, interconnection between elements) and five specific (i.e., bat grip, ready position, footwork/body positioning, service, stroke) elements of technical skills in young table tennis players. In addition, criteria for both flawed and excellent executions were identified for each of the five specific elements. Finally, these results were used to create an observation sheet usable for an assessment during competition.

Conclusions

This study revealed the crucial elements of technical skills that should be taken into account when assessing sport-specific technical skills of youth table tennis players (8–12 years). Moreover, it provided concise descriptions of what is considered to be flawed or excellent executions of technical skills. Based on these findings, a first observation sheet, the Oldenburg observation sheet for Table Tennis Technique (O3T), was created to be used for the assessment of the current technical skill level within a competitive context at the early stage of a table tennis player’s career. Future research should focus on its measurement properties and its value within a multidimensional assessment for talent purposes.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40798-021-00327-5.

Creating a Scoring System with an Armband Wearable Device for Table Tennis Forehand Loop Training: Combined Use of the Principal Component Analysis and Artificial Neural Network

BACKGROUND

This study presents an intelligent table tennis e-training system based on a neural network (NN) model that recognizes data from sensors built into an armband device, with the component values (performances scores) estimated through principal component analysis (PCA).

METHODS

Six expert male table tennis players on the National Youth Team (mean age 17.8 ± 1.2 years) and seven novice male players (mean age 20.5 ± 1.5 years) with less than 1 year of experience were recruited into the study. Three-axis peak forearm angular velocity, acceleration, and eight-channel integrated electromyographic data were used to classify both player level and stroke phase. Data were preprocessed through PCA extraction from forehand loop signals. The model was trained using 160 datasets from five experts and five novices and validated using 48 new datasets from one expert and two novices.

RESULTS

The overall model's recognition accuracy was 89.84%, and its prediction accuracies for testing and new data were 93.75% and 85.42%, respectively. Principal components corresponding to the skills "explosive force of the forearm" and "wrist muscle control" were extracted, and their factor scores were standardized (0-100) to score the skills of the players. Assessment results indicated that expert scores generally fell between 60 and 100, whereas novice scores were less than 70.

CONCLUSION

The developed system can provide useful information to quantify expert-novice differences in fore-hand loop skills.

A novel method for noninvasive bioelectric measurement utilizing conductivity of seawater

A novel method of noninvasive bioelectric measurement that utilizes the conductivity of seawater covering a person’s whole body is proposed. Concretely, a conductor used as a common electrode is sunk into the seawater, and four special bioelectrodes isolated from the seawater are attached at measurement points on the body. Bioelectric signals generated between the common electrode and special bioelectrodes are then measured. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, bioelectric signals of six participants immersed in a bathtub filled with seawater were experimentally measured. The measurement results revealed that the proposed method enables multipoint bioelectric measurement using about half the number of bioelectrodes used by the conventional method on land, and a plurality of bioelectric phenomena can be observed at one measurement point. It was also revealed that compared with the conventional method, the proposed method significantly reduces external electrical noise included in the bioelectric signals by exploiting the shielding effect of seawater. If simple bioelectric measurements in seawater were possible in the manner described above, not only people such as scuba divers but also precious animals living in the sea could be noninvasively treated as measurement subjects.

Quantifying the functional diagnosis in the rehabilitation of postural problems of biomechanical junior female players in table tennis

Abstract We have lived in an era in sports history in which due to the intensity of the confrontations between athletes, disorders manifested by headaches, shoulder, pelvis and knee aches etc. appear more often. The performers during puberty require special attention on their morpho – functional development from the kynesiotherapist who is part of the multidisciplinary team, due to many transformations of the human body specific at this age category. 13 juniors female athletes have participated to the study, being assessed anthropometric, plantar pressures and posture with softwear FreeStep by Sensor Medica, biomechanical analysis and from technical & tactical point of view by 5 tests with DartFish 360S. Within the statistical – mathematical analysis, we have used Pearson correlation coefficient which favoured the identification of the strongest correlations resulted from the technical – tactical - anthropometric – plantar pressures and postural unbalances (r > 1.00 at test 1 and r > 0.84 at test 2). Assumption: It is assumed that by using established methods and means to assess postural deficiencies and to assess the level of consolidation of the topspin attack, we can identify the correlations between them which would facilitate the creation in the future of an efficient postural improvement program. The goal is to improve the quality of life and sports performance in junior female table tennis players. The conclusions of this study demonstrate the fact that the mobility of the spine in frontal plan, high thoracic elasticity and an increased lateral mobility on the opposite side of the active arm represent advantages intended to optimize the attack by topspin, while the supraponderability, the pain in lumber area and the shoulder’s asymmetry constitute disruptive factors of attack’s performance. Keywords: plantar pressures, postural unbalances, baropodometric platforms, topsin attack efficiency, dartfish 360s,

The kinematic analysis of the lower limb during topspin forehand loop between different level table tennis athletes

Background

Topspin is one of the most attacking stroke in table tennis sport. The aim of this research was to investigate the kinematic characteristics of the lower limb (driving leg) during topspin forehand loop in different playing level table tennis athletes.

Methods

Ten male table tennis athletes performed topspin forehand loop shots with maximal force to hit the ball that was played by a professional table tennis coach. The three-dimensional Vicon motion analysis system was used to capture the kinematic information.

Results

The key findings from this research indicate that there were no significant differences in motion time between elite athletes (EA) and medium athletes (MA) during the entire phase (P = 0.784). EA showed significantly less knee (P < 0.001) as well as hip (P < 0.001) flexion in the BS stage when contrasted to MA, with a significant larger ankle varus (P = 0.003) as well as eversion (P < 0.001) than MA in the BS and FS phase, respectively. EA displayed a significant larger angular changing rate of ankle dorsiflexion (P < 0.001) and varus (P < 0.001) in the BS stage with ankle plantar flexion as well as eversion during the FS stage, with a significant larger ankle internal rotation (P = 0.003) and external rotation (P < 0.001) than MA in the BS and FS phase, respectively. Furthermore, EA showed significantly larger ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.001) as well as plantarflexion (P < 0.001) ROM in the BS and FS phase respectively compared with MA.

Conclusion

Ankle activities in the all plane displayed significant differences in kinematic characteristics between EA and MA. MA should pay attention to the function that ankle played in the kinetic chain, such as training the lower limb muscle rapid reaction ability to improve the energy transfer efficiency and capability of the kinetic chain.

Growth and maturity status of young male table tennis players

A maturity-associated gradient among adolescent athletes in many sports tends to favour early maturing participants. This study was aimed to describe inter-individual variance in growth and skeletal maturation among male youth table tennis. The sample included 99 players registered in competitive clubs for at least 2 years. Chronological age (CA) ranged 10.00-14.63 years. Stature and body mass were plotted relative to US references. Skeletal age (SA) was estimated with the Fels method. Maturity status was given as SA minus CA. Somatic maturation was derived from predicted age at peak height velocity. Mean values for stature and weight were above the reference medians from 10 to 13 years and at the median in the oldest group. In general, SA was in advance to CA (CA: 12.45 ± 1.28 years; SA: 13.44 ± 2.37 years). The majority of the players were early maturing according to SA (52%) and average maturing based on the somatic indicator (80%). The results suggested that table tennis tends to retain taller and heavier participants who are somewhat advanced in skeletal maturity. Participation in youth table tennis and opportunities to win need to consider age- and maturity-associated variations, particularly regarding bands for competitions.

Statistical Parametric Mapping Reveals Subtle Gender Differences in Angular Movements in Table Tennis Topspin Backhand

Background: Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) is an innovative method based on the analysis of time series (data series) and is equivalent to statistical methods for numerical (discrete) data series. This study aimed to analyze the patterns of movement in the topspin backhand stroke in table tennis and to use SPM to compare these patterns between advanced female and male players. Methods: The research involved seven advanced male and six advanced female players. The kinematic parameters were measured using an inertial motion analysis system. The SPM was computed using the SPM1D Python package. Results: Our study made it possible to reproduce the pattern of movement in the joints during topspin backhand strokes in the studied athletes. During multiple comparisons, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) SPM test revealed many areas in the studied parameter series with statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: The study presents the movement patterns in the topspin backhand shot and describes the proximal-to-distal sequencing principle during this shot. The SPM study revealed differences between men and women in the contribution of thoracic rotation, external shoulder rotation, dorsal flexion, and supination in the wrist during the hitting phase. These differences may result from the anatomical gender differences or variations in other functionalities of individual body segments between the study groups. Another possible source for these discrepancies may reside in tactical requirements, especially the need for a more vigorous attack in men. The gender differences presented in this study can help in the individualization of the training process in table tennis.

Comparing the Kinematic Characteristics of the Lower Limbs in Table Tennis: Differences between Diagonal and Straight Shots Using the Forehand Loop

The diagonal shot (DS) and straight shot (SS) using the forehand loop are the most common techniques used in table tennis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinematic differences of the lower limbs between DS and SS. Twelve male table tennis athletes performed DS and SS in random order. Kinematic data were captured using a three-dimensional Vicon motion analysis system. The major findings of this study were that DS showed significantly less time compared with SS during the backward swing (BS) and the forward swing (FS) phases. Meanwhile, DS showed significantly larger ankle internal rotation and inversion with smaller knee abduction and external rotation during the BS. DS showed significantly larger knee extension with smaller hip adduction and knee internal rotation compared with SS during the FS. However, SS showed a significantly larger range of motion (ROM) of ankle plantar flexion external rotation, and significantly larger ROM of knee extension. Moreover, SS showed significantly larger knee internal rotation compared with DS. These differences between the two shot techniques could be beneficial for helping coaches and table tennis athletes optimize performance, both in training and competition.

The Motor and Leisure Time Conditioning of Young Table Tennis Players' Physical Fitness

The purpose of the study was to assess the association between physical fitness and the lifestyle determinants of elite junior table tennis players. The basic anthropometric characteristics (body height and body weight) were collected of 87 Polish table tennis players (girls, n = 38 and boys, n = 49, at different stages of sport training, targeted and specialized) aged 11–17 years. The level of special fitness tests from the Table Tennis Specific Battery Test were used, assessing reaction speed and displacement speed. All eight International Physical Fitness Test trials were also used to determine the level of general fitness of the participants. Selected questions from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children questionnaire were asked to measure factors associated with leisure time. The findings confirm a relationship between sedentary forms of leisure time activity and the training of young players at the targeted stage (Z = −2.93, p = 0.003 school days and Z = −2.12, p = 0.034 days off). Moreover, competitors with longer training experience more often chose active forms of spending free time. Knowledge of the global physical activity undertaken by young athletes during their leisure time provides a better understanding of their individual needs and may help young table tennis players to succeed at a world-class level in the future.

Gender Differences in Kinematic Parameters of Topspin Forehand and Backhand in Table Tennis

Background: The identification of gender differences in kinematics and coordination of movement in different body segments in sports may improve the training process by emphasizing the necessity of its differentiation, and consequently individualization, developing, and improving the technique in women and men. Indicating differences can also help in determining the risk of injury in order to prevent from them by diversifying training programs. However, there is no information regarding this problem in the existing literature pertaining to table tennis. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the differences in the values of selected angular and kinematic parameters during topspin forehand and topspin backhand shots between male and female table tennis players. Methods: Six male and six female advanced table tennis players performed topspin forehand and topspin backhand shots, both receiving a backspin ball. The angular parameters in four events (ready position, backswing, maximum acceleration, and forward) at chosen joints as well as the maximal acceleration of the playing hand were measured, using the myoMotion system, and were compared between male and female players. Results: Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found in the magnitude of angular parameters and maximum hand acceleration between men and women. The movement pattern of topspin strokes performed by men takes into account, more than that in the case of women, movements that use large muscle groups and large joints (hip joints, trunk joints, shoulder joints in extension, and flexion). The difference in the values of maximal acceleration reached almost 50 m/s² in topspin forehand (p < 0.01) and 20 m/s² in backhand (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Differentiation of movement patterns can be a manifestation of movement optimization due to anthropological differences and limitations. The differences in the values of maximal acceleration suggest that women could use both sides to perform a topspin attack against the backspin ball, while men should seek opportunities to make a stronger shot with a forehand topspin.

Biomechanics of Table Tennis: A Systematic Scoping Review of Playing Levels and Maneuvers

This present study aims to review the available evidence on the biomechanics of table-tennis strokes. Specifically, it summarized current trends, categorized research foci, and biomechanical outcomes regarding various movement maneuvers and playing levels. Databases included were Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and PubMed. Twenty-nine articles were identified meeting the inclusion criteria. Most of these articles revealed how executing different maneuvers changed the parameters related to body postures and lines of movement, which included racket face angle, trunk rotation, knee, and elbow joints. It was found that there was a lack of studies that investigated backspin maneuvers, longline maneuvers, strikes against sidespin, and pen-hold players. Meanwhile, higher-level players were found to be able to better utilize the joint power of the shoulder and wrist joints through the full-body kinetic chain. They also increased plantar pressure excursion in the medial-lateral direction, but reduced in anterior-posterior direction to compromise between agility and dynamic stability. This review identified that most published articles investigating the biomechanics of table tennis reported findings comparing the differences among various playing levels and movement tasks (handwork or footwork), using ball/racket speed, joint kinematics/kinetics, electromyography, and plantar pressure distribution. Systematically summarizing these findings can help to improve training regimes in order to attain better table tennis performance.

A Biomechanical Analysis of Lower Limb Movement on the Backcourt Forehand Clear Stroke among Badminton Players of Different Levels

Most of the previous studies have been focused on the upper limb biomechanical characteristic in the clear stroke among different level badminton players, but research on the lower limb is limited. The aim of this study is to explore the lower limb kinematics and foot pressure in the backcourt forehand clear stroke among badminton players to give theoretical reference in teaching and answer the questions occurring in the process of learning the actions. Ten professional badminton players (PP) and ten amateur players (AP) were recruited in this study. Plantar pressure analyses indicated that both the PP and the AP were in contact with the ground over the forefoot without the midfoot and heel. The work suggests that when designing professional badminton sports shoes, the designers should focus on strengthening footwear resistance in the metatarsal and forefoot area, especially the first metatarsal area, to meet the requirement of the movement demand and take the badminton movement characteristics in different regions of the design. The peak ankle dorsiflexion, eversion, and internal rotation angle levels of the AP are lower than those of the PP. It is important for the AP group to enhance their ankle strength to prevent injury and improve performance.