title: Effects of string stiffness on muscle fatigue after a simulated tennis match.
abstract: We tested the influence of string stiffness on the occurrence of forearm muscle fatigue during a tennis match. Sixteen tennis players performed two prolonged simulated tennis matches with low-stiffness or high-stiffness string. Before and immediately after exercise, muscle fatigability was evaluated on the forearm muscles during a maximal intermittent gripping task. Groundstroke ball speeds and the profile of acceleration of the racquet frame at collision were recorded during each match. The peak-to-peak amplitude of acceleration and the resonant frequency of the frame were significantly greater with high- (5060 ± 1892 m/s(2) and 204 ± 29 Hz, respectively) than with low-stiffness string (4704 ± 1671 m/s(2) and 191 ± 16 Hz, respectively). The maximal and the averaged gripping forces developed during the gripping task were significantly reduced after the tennis match with high- (-15 ± 14%, and -22 ± 14%, respectively), but not with low-stiffness string. The decrease of ball speed during the simulated matches tended to be greater with high- than with low-stiffness string (P = .06). Hence, playing tennis with high-stiffness string promotes forearm muscle fatigue development, which could partly contribute to the groundstroke ball speed decrement during the game.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, ISM UMR 7287, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France, and with the Research Department, ESP-Consulting, Aix-en-Provence, France.
authors.forename: Jean Bernard
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borelli
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Theurel
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grélot
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000502:physiology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D019876:Sports Equipment; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013715:Tennis / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult