Physical Performance Tests in 8008 Competitive Youth Tennis Players-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Pediatric Sports Medicine
• Tennis Performance Analysis

Background:

• Normative physical performance test (PTEST) values are crucial for youth athlete development and injury prevention.
• A systematic review of PTEST data for competitive youth tennis players (8-18 years) was previously lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze existing data on physical performance tests for youth tennis players.
• To establish preliminary normative values for speed, agility, strength, and power in this demographic.
• To identify age, sex, and side-dominance related performance trends and potential injury indicators.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 studies (8008 players) identified through major scientific databases.
• Included 17 popular PTESTs assessing speed, agility, strength, and power in youth tennis players (8-18 years).
• Analyzed data considering age, sex, and dominant/nondominant limb usage, acknowledging statistical heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• Higher age, male gender, and dominant side usage were generally associated with higher performance levels.
• Data for players under 8-10 years were notably scarce; males were more frequently studied than females.
• A decrease in dominant shoulder internal rotation with age was observed in male players, potentially indicating injury risk.

Conclusions:

• This review provides preliminary reference data for coaches, clinicians, and researchers working with youth tennis players.
• The findings can aid in identifying player strengths and weaknesses to optimize performance and mitigate injury risks.
• Further research is needed to address data gaps, especially for younger age groups and female athletes.