Quantitative Evaluation of Upper Limb Movements in Table Tennis

Abstract

In order to master the skill of table tennis, it is necessary to quantitatively clarify the difference between beginners and experts. In this study, we focused on the reproducibility of acceleration and the timing of muscle exertion in the upper limbs, and proposed a quantitative evaluation method of forehand strokes based on acceleration, surface electromyography (sEMG), and ball injection timing. The subjects were six healthy adults (21.3 ± 0.9 years old), three experts and three beginners. In this experiment, acceleration and sEMG signals were analyzed to evaluate the reproducibility of the movement and the timing of muscle exertion. From the results of the reproducibility, there were similar values between experts and beginners. The sEMG results showed that the timing of muscle exertion in the forehand strokes of experts was consistent, thus, it can be assumed that there is a correct timing of muscle exertion.