Relationship between the flexibility lower extremities and playing style characteristics in college tennis players

Abstract

　The flexibility of lower extremities was compared between the playing style of open stance and closed stance in college tennis players. Twenty college tennis players (age: 19-24) were divided into an open stance group (n=15) and closed stance group (n=5). They were subjected to flexibility tests of lower extremities including straight leg raising test (SLR), standing trunk flexion, between heel and hip distance and range of motion at knee flexion, hip flexion, hip internal rotation, and hip external rotation. A standard universal goniometer and a ruler were utilized to measure the range of motion and length respectively. Independent ttests were used to compare differences between groups. In the flexibility of lower extremities, the open stance group tended to show lower values than the closed stance group. These results suggested that stretching programs should be tailored to playing style.