Table Tennis Athletes Research Articles

Sleep deprivation impairs spatial cognitive processing and Alters brain connectivity in table tennis athletes

Sleep deprivation impairs spatial cognitive processing and Alters brain connectivity in table tennis athletes

Effects of Fatigue on Ankle Flexor Activity and Ground Reaction Forces in Elite Table Tennis Players.

Fatigue specifically affects the force production capacity of the working muscle, leading to a decline in athletes' performance. This study investigated the impact of fatigue on ankle flexor muscle activity and ground reaction forces (GRFs) in elite table tennis players, with a focus on the implications for performance and injury risk. Twelve elite male table tennis athletes participated in this study, undergoing a fatigue protocol that simulated intense gameplay conditions. Muscle activity of the soleus (SOL) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) muscles, heel height, and GRFs were measured using a combination of wireless electromyography (EMG), motion capture, and force plate systems. Results showed a significant decrease in muscle activity in both legs post-fatigue, with a more pronounced decline in the right leg. This decrease in muscle activity negatively affected ankle joint flexibility, limiting heel lift-off. Interestingly, the maximal anteroposterior GRF generated by the left leg increased in the post-fatigue phase, suggesting the use of compensatory strategies to maintain balance and performance. These findings underscore the importance of managing fatigue, addressing muscle imbalances, and improving ankle flexibility and strength to optimize performance and reduce the risk of injuries.

The patterns and prevention of injuries in college table tennis training

This paper conducts a detailed investigation and analysis of injuries among table tennis athletes from college sports academies, and preliminarily explores some general patterns of sports-related injuries that have occurred, summarizing some preventive measures and solutions.

High Neural Efficiency in Unconscious Perceptual Processing among Table Tennis Athletes: An Event-Related Potential Study.

Neural efficiency refers to the brain's ability to function with reduced resource expenditure while maintaining high performance levels. Previous research has demonstrated that table tennis athletes have greater neural efficiency at the conscious level. However, it is unknown whether they exhibit greater neural efficiency at the unconscious level. Therefore, this study aims to investigate unconscious perceptual processing and neural efficiency in elite table tennis athletes through tasks involving the judgment of spin serves. Fifty healthy, right-handed individuals participated in this study, including 25 elite table tennis athletes and 25 control participants without professional training experience. To evaluate the unconscious perceptual characteristics of both groups, we used a combination of masked priming paradigm and event-related potential techniques. The behavioral results reveal that, compared to the control group, the table tennis athletes displayed reduced reaction times (p < 0.001) and increased priming effects (p < 0.001) under unconscious conditions. The electrophysiological findings indicated that both groups elicited N1, N2, and P2 components. Notably, compared to the control group, the table tennis athletes exhibited significantly lower amplitude responses at the occipital lobe electrodes PO3, POz, PO4, O1, Oz, and O2 (p < 0.001). These results further support the neural efficiency hypothesis, indicating that prolonged professional training enhances athletes' capacities for specialized unconscious cognitive processing.

Comparison of Physical and Psychological Movement Choice Variables Between Wheelchair Badminton and Wheelchair Table Tennis Athletes

The objective of this study was to compare the selected physical and psychomotor variables between wheelchair badminton and wheelchair table tennis players. Thirty wheelchair badminton and wheelchair table tennis players were identified and selected to participate in the study from the state of Tamil Nadu. Out of thirty players, fifteen of from wheelchair badminton, and fifteen of from wheelchair table tennis players. To test the significance of changes made in both groups, an independent t - test was applied. The significance of the means of the obtained test results was tested at 0.05 level of confidence. The analysis of the data revealed that there is a significant difference between wheelchair badminton and wheelchair table tennis players in selected physical and psychomotor variables.

The Effect of Oculomotor Exercises With Gaze Stabilization on Hand-Eye Coordination and Reaction Time in Table Tennis Athletes

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 6 week oculomotor exercise program on hand-eye coordination, reaction time, visual perception and dynamic visual acuity with table tennis athletes. 50 table tennis players included in the study were randomly divided in to oculomotor exercise (OMEG, n=25) and control (CG, n=25) groups. While the two groups continued their routine tennis training programs, oculomotor exercises with gaze stabilization were applied to OMEG twice a day for 6 weeks via the WhatsApp application. Plate tapping test was used to evaluate the eye-hand coordination of the participants, reaction time test (number of hits and average reaction time) using the Blazepod device was used to evaluate reaction times, and forms A and B of the Trail Making Test (TMT-A ve TMT-B) were used to evaluate visual perception. Dynamic visual acuity test with powerpoint was used to evaluate the dynamic visual acuity of the participants. The paired t-test and two-sample t-test was executed to examine within and between the groups. The OMEG had significant improvements in hand-eye coordination, visual perception, reaction time and dynamic visual acuity (p

Influence of Programmed Physical Training on the Performance of Table Tennis Athletes

This study aims to explore the influence of a programmed physical training program on enhancing the performance of table tennis athletes at the local table tennis club level. The study utilizes a quantitative research approach with a case study design. Research participants consist of 30 table tennis athletes from one local table tennis club. Data were collected through physical tests covering measurements of muscle strength, agility, and cardiovascular endurance, as well as direct observation of athlete performance during table tennis training sessions. The results of the study indicate a significant improvement in muscle strength, agility, and cardiovascular endurance of athletes after participating in the programmed physical training program. Regression analysis also confirms a positive relationship between the level of participation in the programmed physical training program and athlete performance improvement. The practical implications of this research are that local table tennis clubs can utilize programmed physical training programs as a strategy to enhance their athletes' performance. However, this study has limitations that need to be considered, including the limited generalizability of the results due to being conducted in only one local table tennis club. Therefore, further research with larger samples and diversification of table tennis clubs is needed to confirm these findings more broadly.

Health and Injury Development in Table Tennis Players: A Literature Review

Athletes' and coaches' lack of knowledge about health and injury progression is also a major factor in the occurrence of injuries among table tennis athletes. The purpose of this study was to identify common injury patterns, risk factors that influence injury progression, and effective injury prevention and management strategies. The method of this study was a literature review regarding the development of health and injuries in table tennis players obtained from sciencedirect, Eric, and Google Schoolar. Data analysis techniques were conducted by citing studies from around the world, identifying common injury patterns, risk factors that influence injury development, and effective injury prevention and management strategies. Key findings highlighted the importance of a holistic approach that encompasses physical, mental and social aspects in maintaining optimal health and performance for table tennis athletes. This study also emphasizes the need for integration of recent findings in research to support innovation in injury prevention strategies.

The Influence of Psychosocial Factors on Motivation and Compliance in Table Tennis Training

The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors on motivation and compliance in table tennis training in Indonesia. The research method employed is a cross-sectional observational study involving 30 table tennis student participants from Medan State University. Data were collected through an online survey covering questions on motivation, social support, self-perception, motivation, and compliance in table tennis training. Data analysis involved descriptive analysis and regression to evaluate the relationships between these variables. The research results indicate that motivation, social support, and self-perception are significantly associated with athlete motivation and compliance. The implications of these findings underscore the need to consider psychosocial aspects in the development of training programs and athlete coaching in table tennis in Indonesia. However, this study has limitations and requires further research to validate these findings. Thus, this research provides valuable insights into understanding the factors influencing the performance of table tennis athletes in Indonesia and can serve as a basis for the development of more effective training strategies in the future.

Unveiling the Mental Toughness and Performance Resilience of Table Tennis Athletes

This study examined the psychological resilience and mental fortitude of Chinese table tennis athletes, specifically analyzing their demographic characteristics. The sample comprised predominantly of athletes aged 18 to 24, with a majority of female participants and a notable proportion having less than one year of expertise in the sport. Athletes assessed their mental toughness dimensions, such as commitment, control, confidence, and challenge, as being of average level. Noticeable disparities in mental resilience evaluations were noted among various age cohorts, genders, and levels of professional expertise. In terms of age, athletes between the ages of 18 and 24 demonstrated greater dedication and self-regulation, whereas female athletes had higher levels of confidence and dedication. The performance resilience tests indicated that the scores were moderate to slightly above average in many categories, indicating a well-balanced impression of their skills to withstand challenges. Significantly, the components of performance resilience, including awareness, physiology, emotions, and mastery, exhibited notable variations depending on age, gender, and years of experience. Moreover, a significant correlation was discovered between the characteristics of mental toughness and the ability to bounce back from setbacks, underscoring the significance of mental conditioning in improving athletes' capacity to surmount challenges and attain peak performance. These findings highlight the necessity of customized mental training programs to improve psychological resilience and performance among Chinese table tennis athletes. When developing interventions, coaches and sports psychologists should take into account the age, gender, and level of experience of players.

Social Media Image Construction and Communication of Sports Athletes

With the development of social media, it has become more and more a distinctive phenomenon for sports athletes to present themselves and spread sports culture through operating personal social media accounts. As the national sport of China, table tennis has long enjoyed widespread attention, and the athletes are also the focus of the public. In this regard, this paper selected eight Chinese table tennis athletes in different growth periods in a balanced manner according to the demographic approach. With the content and text analysis methods, the paper collects data and text from their social media accounts represented by Weibo, and analyzes the content and effects from aspects of sports communication, health communication, brand communication, social value communication and entertainment daily communication. After analyzing the current operation and exposed shortcomings of the personal social media of sports athletes represented by them, the paper puts forward three feasible suggestions: “build a good media image, convey positive energy actively,” “raise the awareness of media management, explore the possibilities of cross-border” and “enhance the ability of media operation, create differentiated personalities,” to contribute media power to the in-depth implementation of the "Healthy China" Initiative and the development of China's sports industry.

PHYSICAL FITNESS AND BALANCE PERFORMANCE IN TABLE TENNIS PLAYERS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES: A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE YEARS 2016 AND 2022

Training routine is beneficial for people with intellectual disabilities, increasing their physical fitness, improving the balance and consequently reducing the risk of falls. However, during the COVID-19 breakdown, training restrictions could impair these benefits. This is a two-fold study aimed to compare the physical fitness performance and balance in table tennis athletes with intellectual disability (ID) during 2016 and 2022; and to analyse the association between the fitness and balance parameters. Table tennis athletes with ID, from both sexes and members of the Special Olympics Czech Republic, were assessed in 2016 (n=33) or 2022 (n=32). The FUNfitness protocol was used to measure the physical fitness parameters and balance (e.g., functional shoulder rotation, timed sit-to-stand test, partial sit-up test, handgrip test, single leg stance eyes open, single leg stance eyes closed). Comparison and correlation statistical tests were used (p&lt;0.05). The physical fitness parameters and balance presented no statistically significant between the years (2016 vs 2022) or better results in 2022 (single leg stance, partial sit-up test). The correlation of physical fitness parameters and balance demonstrated that balance is positively related to flexibility (single leg stance eyes closed: r=0.32 and 0.58 for males and females, respectively) and lower limb strength (single leg stance eyes open: r=-0.31 and -0.52 for males and females, respectively). In conclusion, the development of flexibility and low limb strength in ID population can help improve the balance, and consequently minimize the risk of falls.

Enhanced Cognitive Inhibition in Table Tennis Athletes: Insights from Color-Word and Spatial Stroop Tasks.

The ability to inhibit conflicting information is pivotal in the dynamic and high-speed context of fast-ball sports. However, the behavioral and electrophysiological characteristics underlying the cognitive inhibition processes associated with table tennis expertise remain unexplored. This study aims to bridge these research gaps by utilizing the color-word Stroop task and the spatial Stroop task alongside event-related potential (ERP) measurements to investigate domain-general and domain-specific cognitive inhibition among table tennis athletes. The study involved a total of 40 participants, including 20 table tennis athletes (11 males and 9 females; mean age 20.75 years) and 20 nonathletes (9 males and 11 females; mean age 19.80 years). The group differences in the Stroop effect on behavioral outcomes and ERP amplitudes were compared within each task, respectively. In the color-word Stroop tasks, athletes exhibited smaller incongruent-related negative potential amplitudes (Ninc; 300-400 ms; p = 0.036) and a diminished Stroop effect on late sustained potential amplitudes (LSP; 500-650 ms; p = 0.028) than nonathletes, although no significant differences were observed in behavioral outcomes (p > 0.05). Conversely, in the spatial Stroop tasks, athletes not only responded more swiftly but also exhibited reduced Stroop effects on both LSP amplitudes (350-500 ms; p = 0.004) and reaction times (p = 0.002) relative to nonathletes. These findings suggest that table tennis athletes excel in cognitive inhibition in the context of both domain-general and domain-specific tasks, particularly exhibiting enhanced performance in tasks that are closely aligned with the demands of their sport. Our results support the neural efficiency hypothesis and improve our understanding of the interactions between cognitive functions and table tennis expertise.

Analyzing Coaches' Skills: A Survey of Table Tennis Coaches in Riau Province and DIY Province, Indonesia

Studi purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the ideal coach skills for Table Tennis. Materials and methods. This research was descriptive and quantitative using a survey. The sample of this study were athletes who had won medals in table tennis competitions at the city or district level in Riau Province and Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Province as evidenced by certificates during 2023. Therefore, the sample of table tennis athletes involved was 70 athletes (44 boys and 26 girls). The characteristics of the athletes were an average age of 18.7±7.2 years and 6.1±0.9 years of training experience. The research instrument was a questionnaire distributed via a Google form. The questionnaire contained 20 statement items with a scale of 1 - 4. The coach's skills are divided into 4 factors (table 1), which were 1) skills in applying sports techniques, 2) skills in applying training periodization, 3) psychological skills, and 4) communication skills. Results. Table Tennis Coaches' skills in general showed "very poor" 2 answers (3.32%), "poor" 19 answers (28.33%), "fair" 25 answers (33.53%), "good" 22 answers (31.68%), and "very good" 2 answers (3.32%). Conclusions. From the results of this study, it is expected that the Riau Province and DIY Province table tennis organizations pay more attention to the quality of coach skills. One effective solution at this time is to provide training to coaches in stages. Further, providing opportunities for former athletes who no longer have a career to be given basic coaching knowledge so that later they can become professional coaches.

Innovative circuit training for children 10-12 years old to improve forehand and backhand drive skills

Mastery of forehand and backhand drive skills is crucial for the foundational development of table tennis athletes. This study aims to introduce an engaging training methodology for children aged 10-12 to enhance their table tennis abilities. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through the Delphi technique and repeated measures. Participants included three academic experts, four professional table tennis coaches, and nine young table tennis players. The research employed a questionnaire featuring a rating scale from one to four (very relevant, relevant, somewhat relevant, not relevant) for content validity and a one to three scale for assessing the practicality of the instruments. Data analysis was conducted using Aiken's formula. Results. The innovation in training methodology using the circuit approach to enhance beginner-level forehand and backhand drives in table tennis demonstrated significant effectiveness. The first aspect, alignment of the training concept with objectives, received a validation score of V = 0.952. Similarly, the training movements' relevance to objectives and the modifications introduced both scored V = 0.952. The suitability of the training procedures received a slightly lower score of V = 0.857. A practicality assessment of all components yielded scores exceeding 80%. Conclusion. The circuit training methodology designed for children aged 10-12 significantly improves forehand and backhand drive skills, demonstrating high content validity and practicality. Consequently, this study's findings endorse the circuit training approach as an effective means to enhance table tennis skills among young athletes.

Mechanisms of Action Anticipation in Table Tennis Players: A Multivoxel Pattern Analysis Study

An exceptional ability to accurately anticipate an opponent’s action is paramount for competitive athletes and highlights their experiential mastery. Despite conventional associations of action observation with specific brain regions, neuroimaging discrepancies persist. To explore the brain regions and neural mechanisms undergirding action anticipation, we compared distinct brain activation patterns involved in table tennis serve anticipation of expert table tennis athletes vs. non-experts by using both univariate analysis and multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA). We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 29 table tennis experts and 34 non-experts as they pressed a button to predict the trajectory of a ball in a table tennis serve video truncated at the moment of racket-ball contact vs. pressing any button while viewing a static image of the first video frame. MVPA was applied to assess whether it could accurately differentiate experts from non-experts. MVPA results indicated moderate accuracy (90.48%) for differentiating experts from non-experts. Brain regions contributing most to the differentiation included the left cerebellum, the vermis, the right middle temporal pole, the inferior parietal cortex, the bilateral paracentral lobule, and the left supplementary motor area. The findings suggest that brain regions associated with cognitive conflict monitoring and motor cognition contribute to the action anticipation ability of expert table tennis players.

Characteristics of Resting-State Electroencephalogram Network in α-Band of Table Tennis Athletes.

Table tennis athletes have been extensively studied for their cognitive processing advantages and brain plasticity. However, limited research has focused on the resting-state function of their brains. This study aims to investigate the network characteristics of the resting-state electroencephalogram in table tennis athletes and identify specific brain network biomarkers. A total of 48 healthy right-handed college students participated in this study, including 24 table tennis athletes and 24 controls with no exercise experience. Electroencephalogram data were collected using a 64-conductive active electrode system during eyes-closed resting conditions. The analysis involved examining the average power spectral density and constructing brain functional networks using the weighted phase-lag index. Network topological characteristics were then calculated. The results revealed that table tennis athletes exhibited significantly higher average power spectral density in the α band compared to the control group. Moreover, athletes not only demonstrated stronger functional connections, but they also exhibited enhanced transmission efficiency in the brain network, particularly at the local level. Additionally, a lateralization effect was observed, with more potent interconnected hubs identified in the left hemisphere of the athletes' brain. Our findings imply that the α band may be uniquely associated with table tennis athletes and their motor skills. The brain network characteristics of athletes during the resting state are worth further attention to gain a better understanding of adaptability of and changes in their brains during training and competition.

Altered spontaneous regional brain activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex and visual area of expert table tennis athletes.

Sports training may lead to functional changes in the brain, and different types of sports, including table tennis, have different influences on these changes. However, the effects of long-term table tennis practice on brain function in expert athletes are largely undefined. Here, we investigated spontaneous regional brain activity characteristics of expert table tennis athletes by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare differences between 25 athletes and 33 age- and sex-matched non-athletes. We analyzed four metrics-amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF, regional homogeneity, and degree centrality-because together they identify functional changes in the brain with greater sensitivity than a single indicator and may more comprehensively describe regional functional changes. Additional statistical analysis was conducted to assess whether any correlation existed between brain activity and years of table tennis training for athletes. Results show that compared with non-athletes, table tennis athletes showed altered spontaneous regional brain activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the calcarine sulcus, a visual area. Furthermore, the functional changes in the calcarine sulcus showed a significant correlation with the number of years of expert sports training. Despite the relatively small sample size, these results indicated that the regional brain function of table tennis athletes was associated with sports training-related changes, providing insights for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying the expert performance of athletes.

Table tennis reactive agility test, test-retest reliability

Reactive agility is an important ability every table tennis athlete should have. Reactive agility is needed in all sports because it can help the body move backward, sideway steps, and forward quickly during practice or competition. Therefore a particular test instrument is required. Valid and reliable test instruments are needed to determine a table tennis athlete’s level and level of reactive agility. The results of previous studies showed Aiken’s V coefficient value above 0.76, while Cronbach’s Alpha and ICC are 0.875. Based on previous research, it was found that the results of the reactive agility test have content validity with Aiken’s quite good. However, a Test-retest reliability test is needed to strengthen the instrument. This study aims to assess the reliability of the product moment instrument reactive test agility of table tennis. Test-retest is used as a source of research data. The subjects in the study were 20 table tennis athletes aged 13-18 years. The test was carried out 2 times using a table tennis agility reactive instrument on different days. The time recorded during the test is research data. The data is presented in a descriptive statistical format, then analyzed using SPPS and reliability results using Pearson product-moment. The results showed that the product-moment correlation value was 0.956. based on the norms of reliability coefficients, the reactive agility test instruments specifically for table tennis have high scores or excellent categories. So it can be concluded that it can be relied upon to measure the reactive agility ability of junior and senior table tennis athletes.

COMPARISON OF UPPER LIMB REACTION SPEED BETWEEN YOUNG TABLE TENNIS AND BADMINTON ATHLETES USING THE LYMMIC ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

&lt;p&gt;The aim of the present study was to compare the upper limb reaction time between young athletes (boys) of table tennis and badminton. Two groups of 14 table tennis and badminton athletes (a total of 28 athletes) with a mean age of 14±1.65 and mean involvement in these sports of 5±1.32 were the sample of the study. The visual stimulus tests used to record reaction times were as follows: a) left hand simple reaction time test, b) right hand simple reaction time test, c) left hand choice reaction time test, d) right hand choice reaction time test. The tools used for the measurements were a special light sensor and other technological means. ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range test (p&amp;lt;0.05) were applied for statistical data processing. The analysis of the results showed no statistically significant differences in any of the 4 tests of the athletes. The findings and the way of measuring reaction speed could be used by the athletes’ coaches to enrich and improve the training process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0091/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;