• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2007

The purposes of this study were to investigate kinematic parameters of racket head and upper extremities during squash back hand stroke and to provide quantitative data to the players. Five Korean elite male players were used as subjects in this study. To find out the swing motion of the players, the land-markers were attached to the segments of upper limb and 3-D motion analysis was performed. Orientation angles were also computed for angular movement of each segment. The results were as follows. 1) the average time of the back hand swing (downswing + follow-through) was 0.39s (0.24 s + 0.15 s). 2) for each event, the average racket velocity at impact was 11.17m/s and the velocity at the end of swing was 8.03m/s, which was the fastest swing speed after impact. Also, for each phase, 5.10m/s was found in down swing but 7.68m/s was found in follow-through. Racket swing speed was fastest after the impact but the swing speed was reduced in the follow-through phase. 3) in records of average of joints angle, shoulder angle was defined as the relative angle to the body. 1.04rad was found at end of back swing, 1.75rad at impact and it changes to 2.35 rad at the end of swing. Elbow angle was defined as the relative angle of forearm to upper arm. 1.73rad was found at top of backswing, 2.79rad at impact, and the angle was changed to 2.55rad at end of swing. Wrist angle was defined as the relative angle of hand to forearm. 2.48rad was found at top of backswing, 2.86rad at impact, and the angle changes to 1.96rad at end of swing. As a result, if the ball is to fly in the fastest speed, the body has to move in the order of trunk, shoulder, elbow and wrist (from proximal segment to distal segment). Thus, the flexibility of the wrist can be very important factor to increase ball speed as the last action of strong impact. In conclusion, the movement in order of the shoulder, elbow and the wrist decided the racket head speed and the standard deviations were increased as the motion was transferred from proximal to the distal segment due to the personal difference of swing arc. In particular, the use of wrist (snap) may change the output dramatically. Therefore, it was concluded that the flexible wrist movement in squash was very important factor to determine the direction and spin of the ball.