The Influence of Different Playing Surfaces on the Biomechanics of a Tennis Running Forehand Foot Plant

Abstract

Research suggests that heightened impacts, altered joint movement patterns, and changes in friction coefficient from the use of artificial surfaces in sport increase the prevalence of overuse injuries. The purposes of this study were to (a) develop procedures to assess a tennis-specific movement, (b) characterize the ground reaction force (GRF) impact phases of the movement, and (c) assess human response during impact with changes in common playing surfaces. In relation to the third purpose it was hypothesized that surfaces with greatest mechanical cushioning would yield lower impact forces (PkFz) and rates of loading. Six shod volunteers performed 8 running forehand trials on each surface condition: baseline, carpet, acrylic, and artificial turf. Force plate (960 Hz) and kinematic data (120 Hz) were collected simultaneously for each trial. Running forehand foot plants are typically characterized by 3 peaks in vertical GRF prior to a foot-off peak. Group mean PkFz was significantly lower and peak braking force was significantly higher on the baseline surface compared with the other three test surfaces (p < 0.05). No significant changes in initial kinematics were found to explain unexpected PkFz results. The baseline surface yielded a significantly higher coefficient of friction compared with the other three test surfaces (p < 0.05). While the hypothesis is rejected, biomechanical analysis has revealed changes in surface type with regard to GRF variables.