BACKGROUND Racket sports are typically not associated with doping. Despite the common characteristics of being non-contact and mostly individual, racket sports differ in their physiological demands, which might be reflected in substance use and misuse (SUM). The aim of this study was to investigate SUM among Slovenian Olympic racket sport players in the context of educational, sociodemographic ...

The main purpose of the present study was to quantify and compare selected kinematic variables and their timing during the tennis forehand of different skill levels. An eight-camera 400 Hz, Vicon motion analysis system recorded kinematic data of six ATP- professionals (elite) and seven high performance (HP) players when shots were played cross court and down the line. Timing of the maximum angl...

The physics of swinging a tennis racquet is examined by modeling the forearm and the racquet as a double pendulum. We consider differences between a forehand and a serve, and show how they differ from the swing of a bat and a golf club. It is also shown that the swing speed of a racquet, like that of a bat or a club, depends primarily on its moment of inertia rather than on its mass. © 2011 Ame...

The Achilles tendon, named after the legendary warrior and hero of Homer’s Iliad, is the strongest and thickest tendon in the human body. Despite this fact, Achilles tendinopathy is a common overuse injury, particularly in runners and other athletes. Kujala et al showed a 10-fold increase in Achilles injuries in runners compared with age-matched controls. Another study reported the incidence of...

Athletes are among the groups of people who are interested in the effects of caffeine on endurance and exercise capacity. Although many studies have investigated the effect of caffeine ingestion on exercise, not all are suited to draw conclusions regarding caffeine and sports performance. Characteristics of studies that can better explore the issues of athletes include the use of well-trained s...

Seventy-four local league players were surveyed through a questionnaire and interview to establish the incidence of tennis elbow, the perceived causes, preventive measures taken and their perceived effectiveness. Of these 35% suffered from tennis elbow, 77% of those critically. The tennis racquet used, technique and timing and the condition of the court were perceived as the main causes, whilst...

Measurements are presented on the behaviour of a hand-held tennis racquet when it impacts with a tennis ball. It is shown that an impulse is transmitted through the racquet to the hand in about 1.5 ms, with the result that the hand and the forearm both have a strong in ̄uence on the behaviour of the racquet even while the ball is still in contact with the strings. Regardless of the impact point,...

Algorithms for human action recognition usually observe human motion only on particular level of detail. This approach requires complex algorithms to match the complexity of motion. High recognition rates are possible, when actions are distinct and clearly visible. However, this is not the case in many practical applications. To solve this we explore the possibility of developing more general a...

Hook of the hamate fractures are uncommon. This fracture is usually seen in sports involving a club or a racquet (i.e., baseball or golf) and is caused by blunt trauma. Stress fractures of the hamate are exceedingly rare. Because of its subcutaneous position and associated soft tissue structures, hook of the hamate fractures can be difficult to diagnosis. When treated early, conservative (non-o...