Issn Print: 0195-9131
Publication Date: 1997/05/01
THE EFFECT OF TENNIS RACKET STRING VIBRATION DAMPERS ON IMPACT DISCOMFORT705
L. Noble; C. L. Stroede; H. S. Walker
Excerpt
Manufacturers of tennis racket string dampers routinely claim that their dampers reduce hand and arm discomfort during racket use; however, no published data have been found to substantiate these assertions. This study evaluated the effect of tennis racket string vibration damper usage on perceptions of discomfort experienced by tennis players due to racket impacts. Twenty tennis players (10 male, 10 female) aged 18-29 yrs volunteered for the study. Two different racket models were impacted near the center of the racket face and near the racket tip both with and without string vibration dampers in place, resulting in eight impact conditions. The subjects held each racket in a stationary position while a ball machine projected tennis balls at a velocity of 21.0 m/s toward the racket. The racket head was hidden from view, and the subjects wore ear protection during each impact. This procedure prevented the subjects from knowing the damping condition of the impact and eliminated the element of auditory discomfort. A visual analog scale was used to assess the level of discomfort immediately following each impact condition. ANOVA of the scaled discomfort ratings revealed that there was no significant difference in discomfort ratings between damped and not damped impacts and that central impacts were more comfortable than impacts near the racket tip. Examination of vibration traces associated with impacts revealed that string vibration dampers quickly absorbed high frequency string vibration without attenuating the lower frequency frame vibration.
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