This study compared the patterns of upper limb motion when delivering forehand (the hand holding the racket) straight/cross-court clear, drop, and smash shots from the backcourt in badminton.
Seven male badminton players, belonging to a team that was third in the All Japan Intercollegiate Badminton Championships, delivered these shots to record the pattern of motion in each case using MAC 3D System Cameras.
On comparison between straight and cross-court shots, the velocity of the wrist was significantly higher in the latter in all cases (p<0.05). The shoulder horizontal flexion angle was also markedly greater in the latter in all cases (p<0.05). On wrist motion trajectory analysis, the lateral (X-Z) plane at impact was shifted forward in the latter in all cases. Similarly, the frontal (Y-Z) plane was displaced inwards in the latter, while it was displaced outwards in the former from immediately before impact in all cases.
Based on the results, the velocity of the wrist may be higher at a greater shoulder horizontal flexion angle when delivering cross-court compared with straight shots. Furthermore, during the phase immediately before impact, the probabilities of straight and cross-court shots being delivered are high when the wrist moves out- (the distance from the trunk increases) and inwards (it decreases), respectively.
