Fatigue Effects on Shoulder and Elbow Joint Loading During the Tennis Serve

An effective tennis serve is one of the most crucial skills an experienced athlete will implement to gain a decisive advantage in a match. It is an incredibly dynamic, powerful chain of movements classified into preparation, acceleration and follow-through phases. Consequently, the peak physical intensity of these accelerated motions put tennis players at increased risk for shoulder injuries. PURPOSE: To assess how tennis serving arm, shoulder joint forces, shoulder rotation moment, kinematics, and muscle activity are affected by match play induced fatigue. We tested the hypothesis that tennis-related fatigue will have a significant effect on tennis serving arm and shoulder joint kinematics. METHODS: Eight college-aged participants with advanced tennis experience were outfitted with 32 markers in accordance with PitchTrak motion analysis protocols, as well as wireless EMG sensors on their dominant side pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles. Participants were recorded serving before and after an 8-minute fatigue protocol, after which changes in maximum shoulder joint torques, elbow torques, and EMG recruitment were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The results of this study suggest that fatigue does not significantly affect the kinematic or kinetic parameters of the dominant arm during the tennis serving motion (p > 0.05). Mean values for moments, forces, and EMG data remained consistent across pre-and post-fatigue trials, indicating minimal effects of fatigue on these parameters. It is proposed that these results are due to inadequate fatigue protocol; advanced players may experience short exercise as a warm-up rather than simulated match play. Limitations relating to project scope such as sample size, depth of analysis and testing room dimensions may have reduced our findings' efficacy. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study successfully contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the tennis serve as it pertains to preventing associated injuries in advanced players.