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Comparison of Kinetic Characteristics of Footwork during Stroke in Table Tennis: Cross-Step and Chasse Step
Published on: June 16, 2021
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Lower limb muscle activity during table tennis strokes.
Yann Le Mansec1, Sylvain Dorel1, François Hug1
1a Laboratory Movement, Interactions, Performance, Faculty of Sport Sciences , University of Nantes , Nantes , France.
Sports Biomechanics
|September 13, 2017
Summary
Offensive table tennis strokes like the forehand smash and top-spin generate higher lower limb muscle activity. Key muscles such as the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris show significant activation during these powerful movements.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
- Human Movement Analysis
Background:
- Table tennis requires dynamic lower limb engagement for powerful strokes.
- Understanding muscle activation patterns is crucial for performance optimization and injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare lower limb muscle activity across five typical table tennis strokes.
- To identify which strokes elicit the highest muscle activation in elite players.
Main Methods:
- Surface electromyography (EMG) recorded from eight lower limb muscles in 14 high-level table tennis players.
- Five strokes analyzed: backhand top, forehand top, forehand spin, forehand smash, and flick.
- EMG data normalized to maximal voluntary contractions.
Main Results:
- Forehand spin, forehand top, and forehand smash showed significantly higher EMG amplitudes compared to other strokes.
- Biceps femoris and gluteus maximus were highly activated (62.8–91.7% max) during smash, spin, and top-spin strokes.
- Gastrocnemii and soleus muscles exhibited peak activity (67.1–92.1% max) during the forehand smash.
Conclusions:
- Offensive table tennis strokes, particularly the smash and forehand top-spin, demand greater lower limb muscle activation.
- Specific muscle groups are differentially recruited based on the demands of each stroke type.
