Improvement of Arm Movement in Volleyball Blocking Through Concurrent Augmented Tactile Feedback

The aim was to assess the usefulness of concurrent augmented tactile feedback delivered to the forearms for improving arm action during blocking. Twenty-three U-16 volleyball players (10 from a female team and 13 from a male team) completed a six-week intervention embedded in regular team practice. Training used a representative learning design with an additional over-net constraint providing concurrent tactile information to the forearms during blocking. Arm action changes were assessed using an ordinal observational scale, and players' perceptions were explored through structured interviews. A cumulative mixed-effects ordinal model analyzed 570 blocking actions from 23 players. A significant overall improvement in arm action quality was observed from pretest to posttest (OR = 2.71; 95% CI [1.91, 3.86]; p < 0.001). However, a significant Moment × Team interaction was identified (p < 0.001). The female team showed a 3.38-fold greater increase in the odds of achieving a higher arm action score than the male team. Players' perceptions of the practice were favorable according to the comments provided by the players during the interviews (84.62% female; 80.00% male), with participants highlighting a clearer understanding of the intended movement direction (30.77% female; 20.00% male). The findings support the value of tactile feedback as a training tool for the development of blocking skills.