Mechanical energy generation and transfer in the racket arm during table tennis topspin backhands

Abstract

The ability to generate a high racket speed and a large amount of racket kinetic energy on impact is important for table tennis players. The purpose of this study was to understand how mechanical energy is generated and transferred in the racket arm during table tennis backhands. Ten male advanced right-handed table tennis players hit topspin backhands against pre-impact topspin and backspin balls. The joint kinetics at the shoulder, elbow and wrist of the racket arm was determined using inverse dynamics. A majority of the mechanical energy of the racket arm acquired during forward swing (65 and 77% against topspin and backspin, respectively) was due to energy transfer from the trunk. Energy transfer by the shoulder joint force in the vertical direction was the largest contributor to the mechanical energy of the racket arm against both spins and was greater against backspin than against topspin (34 and 28%, respectively). The shoulder joint force directed to the right, which peaked just before impact, transferred additional energy to the racket. Our results suggest that the upward thrust of the shoulder and the late timing of the axial rotation of the upper trunk are important for an effective topspin backhand.

Segmental Power Analysis of Sequential Body Motion and Elbow Valgus Loading During Baseball Pitching: Comparison Between Professional and High School Baseball Players

“…This study adds valuable information to the limited body of research on the flow of mechanical energy during pitching, 34,43,50 however it is not without its limitations. Although the segmental power analysis employed in this study has been used by previous investigators to examine the energy flow in other human movements, 24,31,51 this approach is limited by the assumption that the mechanical power of a segment is generated (or absorbed) by torques about joints adjacent to this segment and does not take into account the power of anatomically distant segments to which these torques are not applied. 45,46 Baseball pitching is frequently referred to as a “whip-like” motion to describe the kinetic chain through which segmental energy flows, and the contribution of motion-dependent interactive torques within this kinetic chain is not decomposed in segmental power analysis.…”

“…Consequently, previous investigators have attempted to define the energy transfer mechanisms using segmental power analysis, which examines the flow of energy through the kinetic chain during such sports-related movements as the tennis serve 31 and table tennis backhand. 24 The mechanical power of segmental motion could serve as a basis on which pitching efficiency is further delineated, as exhibited in other human movement analyses. 25,33,57 However, to date, the patterns of energy flow through the kinetic chain during pitching have not been compared between different levels of baseball pitchers.…”

Physiology, biomechanics and injuries in table tennis: A systematic review

“…These studies allowed to measure vertical forces up to 1.5 times the body weight during table tennis activity [41]. The power flow through the body was also studied [49][50][51] and lower limbs joint where found as the primary source of energy during forehand drives [51]. Also, horizontal velocity of the racket was found related to the torque of hip axial rotation on the playing side.…”

Correlations Between Stroke Structural Characteristics and Stroke Effect of Young Table Tennis Players

“…The structural characteristics of stroke refer to the changes of kinematic parameters of human body joints during a whole stroke. The kinematic parameters that describe the changes of human body posture mainly include the displacement, angle, and changes (such as linear velocity and angular velocity) of human body joints [4,5].…”

“…Without considering the rotation of the ball, the racket speed was increased with the increase of the amount of energy transferred from the shoulder joint to the forearm [20]. When striking topspin ball with backhand, the mechanical energy of the swing racket was mainly transmitted by the force and torque of the shoulder joint [4]. Therefore, when striking the ball, the mechanical energy would be transferred from the lower limbs of the body to the upper limbs by changing the angle and angular velocity of the body joints, and the swing racket speed and ball speed could be enhanced.…”