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Hand and forearm strength and its relation to tennis
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
|July 1, 1983
Summary
Elite tennis players exhibit superior dominant arm strength, particularly in finger extension. This enhanced hand strength may explain the lower incidence of "tennis elbow" (lateral epicondylitis) in these athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Biomechanics
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a common overuse injury.
- The biomechanical factors contributing to its rarity in elite players are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between dominant and non-dominant extremity isometric strength in tennis players and controls.
- To explore potential strength differences in individuals with tennis elbow.
Main Methods:
- Isometric hand and forearm strength testing was performed on 8 expert tennis players and 12 non-tennis playing controls.
- Strength measurements included wrist extension and metacarpophalangeal joint extension.
- A separate group of 16 tennis elbow sufferers was also examined.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed significantly greater overall strength (P < 0.01) in the dominant arm.
- Tennis players demonstrated significantly higher metacarpophalangeal joint extension strength on their dominant side compared to controls.
- No significant extensor strength differential was found in the dominant arm of tennis elbow sufferers.
Conclusions:
- Elite tennis players possess enhanced dominant-side hand extensor strength.
- This increased strength may be a protective factor against developing tennis elbow.
- Further research could explore specific training adaptations related to this strength.