Movement Analysis

Assignment
Giancarlo Marcelli and Samantha Colalillo
November 19, 2013 MSTH 200 - 02

The functional activity that we have chosen was a tennis serve. When doing a
tennis serve it is just like other sports; it needs strength, power and endurance. There is a
lot of movement that goes into it. When someone watches a tennis play they do not think
about all the movements and practice it took in order for that movement to be successful.
Just to get the ball in the air it takes the whole body to do it. A player has to bend their
knee, rotate and lean back, follow the ball with their head and throw the ball in the air.
That is just to throw it up; to hit the tennis ball is a whole other thing. There is a long
process and training that needs to go into perfecting this powerful serve.

2. To through tennis ball up (Left arm)

Fingers Flexed around ball
Wrist Supinated
Arm Neutral
Should Moves into flexion
Back Going into extension
Hips and thighs Extension
Lower leg Moves into flexion
Feet Dorsiflexion
Before hitting the ball (Right Arm)
Fingers Flexed around tennis racket
Wrist Supinated
Arm Neutral
Shoulder Moves arm into extension then externally rotates then abduction and flexes
Back Slight extension
Hips and thighs Extension
2

Lower leg Moves into flexion

Feet Dorsiflexion
Hitting the ball (Right Arm)
Fingers Flexed around tennis racket
Wrist Supinated
Arm Neutral
Shoulder Moves arm into flexion then internally rotates then horizontal adduction
Back Moves into flexion and rotates to the left
Hips and thigh Flexion
Lower leg (left leg) into flexion, (right leg) into extension
Feet (left foot) Dorsiflexion, (right foot) Plantarflexion
3. Analyze each movement:

What range of motion is required?

The glenohumoral joint ROM that is required during a tennis serve is
160 in flexion when throwing the ball up and lifting your racquet in order
to load your arm and hit the ball, 170 in abduction, full external rotation
which is 80 and full ROM in internal rotation(60) and horizontal
adduction(130) when following through the serve after hitting the ball.
The wrist must have full ROM in all four movements that the wrist
does. Full extension (70) and radial deviation(15) prior to contact with
the tennis ball, then full flexion (80) and full ulnar deviation when there is
the follow through during and after contact with the ball.
In order to grip the racquet the Metacarpophalangeal Joints (2-5) will
need to be in full flexion (85) to have a firm grip. The first
metacarpophalangeal joints have to be in flexion(50) and the
carpometacarpal joint will have to be able to do some abduction (<70) in
order to keep the racquet in the hand. The interphalangeal joints will also
need some degree of ROM, Proximal flexion (<100) and distal flexion
3

(<80). Full ROM of the elbow is very important in the tennis serve, 140
of flexion and 0 of extension is needed to do this movement. Supination
(90) and pronation (80) is important throughout the whole movement
as the forearm is pronated and supinated during a full tennis serve.
The cervial spine should have a normal range of motion and not limit the
players ability to flex, extend or rotate their head.
The thoracolumbar spine will use flexion when getting ready for the serve,
extension when throwing the ball up and flexion again when following
through with the serve. Rotation is also involved in the movement.
The hip joint ROM that is required during a tennis serve is flexion (<110)
when throwing the ball up, extension(10) and some abduction
(<30)when jumping up and hitting the ball.
The Knee joint does not need full range of motion of flexion when serving,
100 of range of motion seems to be a resonable amount of ROM for a
serve. Full range of motion in extension(0) is needed as the server jumps
up to hit the ball.
Full ROM of the ankle would be necessary, 50 of plantar flexion when
jumping in order to come in contact and follow through with the ball. Full
range of motion in dorsiflexion (20) is used when the ball is thrown up
into the air in order and the server is trying to build up as much power to
follow through with the ball

Which muscles must be flexible to allow this movement to happen? The

muscles that would need to be flexible to do this movement are

gastronemius, soleus, hamstrings, hip flexors, rectus abdominus, obliques,

anterior, middle and posterior deltoids, upper and lower chest, middle
trapezius and rhomboids.

Which muscle must be strong to create the movement?

The muscles that must be strong to do this movement are latissimus dorsi,
chest, triceps, gluteus maximus and hamstrings, soleus and gastrocnemius,
obliques and hip flexors

How quickly does the movement happen?

This movement happens within about one to two seconds from start to
finish

How long must they be able to do the movement for?

Well a regular 3 set tennis match is usually around 2-3 hours, so they must
be able to serve during alternating games, endurance is important to have
as the game may be longer than the time stated above. The serve is the
most important thing of the game.

What kinds of loads must they overcome? (Gravity vs. weight of racquet vs.
resistance from opponent) The kinds of loads that the player must
overcome is the weight of the ball when throwing it up in the air, the force
of gravity holding you back when throwing your arm up and jumping to hit
the ball. The weight of the racquet when moving your arm to hit the ball,
along with gravity on the racquet and your arm.

A common impairment that may affect tennis players serves can be a torn rotator
cuff. When a tennis player does a serve it is repetitive and needs a lot of power and
flexibility in order for the tennis ball to get to the other side and past their appointee. The
muscle that has the most likely chance to be torn is the supraspinatus. The origin is the
supraspinous fossa and the insertion is the greater tuberosity. The action of the
supraspinatus is mostly to stabilize the humerus in the glenoid fossa and abduction of the
G-H joint (especially the first 5). Most people do not realize that the shoulder is one of
the very delicate limbs on the body. It has no real attachment to the axial skeleton other
then through the muscles that surround it. The only way the humerus is attached to the
scapula is by a handful of muscles (supra, infra, subscap, Teres). When a tennis player
does a serve over and over again with out stretching or strengthening these muscles it can
cause an injury or a tear. Therefore when a tennis player does not properly take care of
these small important muscles it can cause a tear in the rotator cuff. When someone
watches tennis players on television you always see them just doing arm circles and
pulling their arm into either horizontal adduction or abduction. These movements are not
really stretching the muscles that need to be flexible to help improve their serve.

An exercise program that would be given to a tennis play with a torn rotator cuff
or supraspinatus would have to go through the stages of strength, power, and endurance.
The first thing that needs to be done is working on their range of motion and flexibility.
In the beginning you want them to do active range of motion. They can do finger wall
crawls. Where the tennis player walks up the wall their fingers on the affected arm. They
start with their arm in a neutral position and get their arm into the full 160 or as far as
possible. They can do this exercise twice. After they can do some passive movements by
using a pole, or a brook stick. They can manipulate their shoulder into flexion, extension,
abduction and even adduction. To strengthen the supraspinatus muscle the tennis play has
to go into side lying and have a weight around 5 pounds; and have to pull their arm into
abduction with gravity trying to push their arm into adduction. As the tennis player is
strengthenings their supraspinatus they can also work on their proprioception by using
the flex bar. They have to hold their arm at 5 abduction and shack the flex bar but have
to keep their arm straight and cannot flex it. As they go through the treatment process
over time, as the exercises get easier to do the tennis play can start add a heavier weight
or can start doing some power or endurance exercises. At the stage they should start
practicing the movement of the serve so the muscles can get back into the routine and
flexibility. Get them to do the movement slow and with no speed. Just lifting their arm
with the tennis racket and going through the motions. The player should do two sets of
six repetitions. Over time if this motion gets easier they and pick up the speed of the
wring and eventually start adding the tennis ball into the picture. They do not have to be
able right from the beginning work on their aim. They need to just be able to get four sets
of eight reputations pain-free. Once they can do that the player can start to aim at

different targets and try to hit them. At then end of this exercise they should continue
them throughout there time playing tennis and apply ice to their shoulder when they feel
pain.

Reference
Bedi, A. (2013) Torn rotator cuff (animation) Retrieved November 18, 2013 from
http://www.sportsmd.com/SportsMD_Articles/id/262.aspx#sthash.lBaM7Ltf.dpbs.
Halket, A. (2013). Shoulder girdle [PowerPoint 1-37]
Halket, A. (2013). Foundational concepts of therapeutic exercise [PowerPoint 1-76]
Lisk, K. (2012) Scapulohumeral muscles [PowerPoint 9-12]
Mailloux, G. (2012) Active range of motion [PowerPoint 35-47]
Mailloux, G. (2012) Routine Practice and AROM continued [PowerPoint 43-54]
Optimum tennis (2013) tennis serve technique (digital photograph) Retrieved November
18, 2013 from http://www.optimumtennis.net/tennis-serve-techniques.htm.