Injuries in badminton: A review

Using markerless motion analysis to quantify sex and discipline differences in external mechanical work during badminton match play

The high prevalence of overuse injuries in badminton poses a major threat to player development and success, with current training 'load' metrics insufficient for capturing the physical demands. This study quantified the external mechanical work performed during badminton match play across different sexes and disciplines. An eight-camera system captured fourteen male and fourteen female competitive (University to national level) badminton players competing across a total of nine singles and six doubles matches. Markerless pose estimation (HRNet) was used to drive a kinematic model (OpenSim) of each player and compute mass-normalised external mechanical work and power for 30 points per match. A linear mixed effects model found normalised work and power to be greater in men's vs. women's matches (effect size [ES] ± 90% CI = 0.60 ± 0.29 and 1.10 ± 0.48, respectively). Normalised work and power were also greater in singles vs. doubles matches (ES = 0.44 ± 0.29 and 0.47 ± 0.44, respectively). Interestingly, discipline differences were greatest among the most skilled players (e.g. ES = 0.88 ± 0.49 for first-team males). These findings highlight the importance of additional strength training and adequate recovery for elite male players to manage the high physical demands of singles match play.

Epidemiology of injuries in racket sports: a cross-sectional study of specific injuries within one olympic cycle

OBJECTIVE

Despite the growing interest in racket sports, injury prevalence, circumstances and severity as a function of gender, performance level and return to play have not been investigated to date. The aim was therefore to evaluate the occurrence of sport-specific injuries from a quantitative and qualitative perspective in the Olympic disciplines Tennis, Badminton and Table Tennis.

METHODS

Injury characteristics were recorded using a three-part questionnaire with 139 items, which was distributed through an online link. Racket sport-specific injuries and frequencies were assessed according to gender and performance level in one Olympic cycle (from the Olympic Games in London in 2012 until Rio de Janeiro in 2016). The Injury severity was recorded by time loss and performance reduction.

RESULTS

A total of 390 (55%) athletes have suffered a serious injury. There were more injuries during training than competition. 78% of the three most common injuries in the various racket sports involved the lower extremities. The longest injury time loss was seen in Tennis for an unspecified injury of the shoulder (16±12 weeks), in Badminton for the foot-ligament injury (13±14 weeks) and the meniscus injury of the knee in table tennis (13±10 weeks). The injuries to the knee accounted for the highest number of athletes with a reduced level of performance (Badminton: Knee - unspecified injury: reduced level=64%; Table tennis: Knee - meniscus injury: reduced level=54%) CONCLUSION: Although recognized as one entity of racket sports with some similar trends in terms of injuries, there are some relevant differences in injury type, circumstances and consequences, which should be considered in future sport-specific injury prevention strategies.

Analysis of Quadriceps Fatigue Effects on Lower Extremity Injury Risks During Landing Phases in Badminton Scissor Jump

The scissor jump (SKJ) is vital in badminton, particularly for backcourt shots, but fatigue increases lower limb load and injury risk. This study investigates how quadriceps fatigue affects biomechanical characteristics and load during SKJ landing, aiming to understand its impact on injury risk. This study involved 27 amateur male badminton players from Ningbo University. Quadriceps fatigue was induced via knee exercises and footwork drills. Biomechanical data before (prior fatigue-PRF) and after fatigue (post fatigue-POF) were recorded using a force platform and motion capture system. Muscle activation was measured with EMG and analyzed through musculoskeletal modeling, with paired t-tests and SPM 1D (Statistical Parametric Mapping 1D) for statistical analysis. Under the POF condition, knee flexion angle increased, and power decreased (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively); ankle plantarflexion angle increased, and power decreased (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). As fatigue progressed, joint reaction forces initially decreased but later increased. Joint energy dissipation decreased, with differences more pronounced in the coronal than sagittal plane. Achilles tendon force and anterior-posterior tibial shear force decreased, while coronal plane center-of-mass displacement increased. Findings show quadriceps fatigue harms limb stability, upping knee and ankle loads, disrupting the movement pattern, and risking coronal plane injuries. It is recommended that athletes enhance quadriceps endurance, improve neuromuscular control, and refine landing techniques to maintain stability and prevent injuries when fatigued.

A prospective randomised controlled trial investigating the impact of a musculoskeletal injury prevention warm-up program for youth badminton: A preliminary study

There are warm-up programs designed to reduce injuries for various sports; however, no study has been conducted on the development of a protocol for preventing injuries in badminton. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a prevention warm-up program (PreventiBad) in reducing injury rates among youth badminton players. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted, involving 273 youth badminton players (13.81 ± 2.76 years). The intervention group incorporated the program as part of their warm-up during training sessions, while the control group adhered to their usual warm-up. The participants were monitored over an 8 weeks period, with primary outcome measures including the incidence of overall injuries, typology and severity. The rate of adherence to the intervention program was assessed as a secondary outcome. A total of 14 injuries were reported among 147 players in the control group in 3440.50 h of exposure (4.07 injuries/1000 h), and a total of 6 injuries were reported across 126 players within the intervention group in 4865.00 exposure hours (1.23 injuries/1000 h). The Injury Risk Ratio was 0.30 (95%CI 0.12 to 0.75). Results indicated that the use of PreventiBad in the intervention group led to a 70% reduction compared to the control group.

Comparison of six-week flywheel and traditional resistance training on deceleration and dynamic balance in elite badminton players

Introduction

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of flywheel resistance training (FRT) and traditional resistance training (TRT) on deceleration and dynamic balance performance in elite badminton players.

Methods

Seventeen elite male badminton players (age: 21.36 ± 2.10 years) volunteered to participate and were randomly assigned to either a flywheel resistance training group (FT: n = 8) or a traditional resistance training group (RT: n = 9). The FT group performed flywheel resistance training twice a week for 6 weeks, while the RT group participated in traditional resistance training for the same period. Deceleration and dynamic balance performance were assessed at baseline and following the intervention using the dynamic posture stability index (DPSI) test, 5-0-5 change of direction (COD) test, deceleration deficit (DD) test, and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) test.

Results and Discussion

Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant time × group interaction for DPSI of both legs and peak force in the IMTP test (p < 0.05, partial η 2 = 0.42-0.79), with better post-test performance compared to pre-test result in the FT group (ES = 0.30-2.10), and the improvements were higher than that of the RT group. No significant differences were observed in the DD test and COD test between FT and RT groups (p > 0.05); however, the magnitude of improvement in DD for the FT group (ES = 0.99) was greater than that of the RT group (ES = 0.52). This pilot study demonstrates that, compared to traditional resistance training, flywheel resistance training enhances deceleration performance and improves dynamic balance in elite badminton players.

Epidemiological characteristics of injury in 7-22-year-old badminton players by age and sex

Badminton-related injury is thought to happen with increasing incidence among badminton players. Literature shown injury incidence across age is scarce. The objective was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of badminton-related injuries among badminton players broken down by age and sex. This epidemiology study is a retrospective design in 7-22-year-old badminton players at a national competitive tournament with a questionnaire from 2018 to 2023. An injury was defined as somatic complaint with time loss and/or medical care. Badminton-related injuries were normalized to rate per 1000 training-hours calculated by Poisson distribution in the collected data according to age and gender. Among all the 711 badminton players, 60.3% (429 players) suffered from at least one badminton-related injury. Regardless of gender, the most frequently injured anatomical site was knee (male: 18.8%, female: 18.6%), followed by ankle (male: 13.4%, female: 13.4%) and lower back (male: 12.3%, female: 10.0%). In male badminton players, the shoulder (7.6%) ranked fourth as the plantar (6.7%) ranked fourth in female badminton players. The rate per 1000 training-hours of badminton-related injuries showed that male players peaked at age 15-16 years and female players peaked at age 17-18 years, with 3.24 injuries and 3.52 injuries per 1000 training-hours, respectively. In 7-22-year-old badminton players, knee, lower back, and shoulder injuries frequently occurred and were significantly associated with the incidence of badminton-related injuries. The peak incidence of badminton-related injuries was in 15-16-year-old male badminton players while the peak incidence was in 17-18-year-old female badminton players. These data have the potential to help target the most at-risk anatomical sites and the most at-risk badminton players precisely for injury prevention programs.

Systematic review on badminton injuries: incidence, characteristics and risk factors

Objectives

As a high-intensity intermittent sport with short and repeated rapid accelerations, decelerations and changes of direction, badminton involves high joint and muscle loads. This review aims to identify relevant injury risk characteristics and factors that facilitate developing and implementing badminton-specific injury prevention programmes.

Design

This systematic review of badminton injuries assessed the risk of bias, injury incidence, mechanism, location, type, severity, and risk factors.

Data sources

PubMed, WoS, SURF, EBSCO, Ovid and SPORTDiscus.

Eligibility criteria

Only English or German peer-reviewed articles presenting epidemiological data. All age groups, genders and levels of play were represented.

Results

Examination of 19 studies with male (60%) and female players (41%) at different player levels (age: 10-50 years). The mean injury incidence was between 1 and 4 injuries/1000 hours, whereby the incidence in the studies that were only carried out with elite players tended to be at the upper end. Lower body injuries occurred most frequently (41%-92%), including strains (11%-64%), sprains (10%-61%), tendinopathy (6%-14%) and stress fractures (5%-11%). There was a high proportion of overuse injuries (25%-74%) and a predominance of mild and moderate injuries (73%-100%). The following risk factors can only be cautiously emphasised due to the heterogeneous results: The risk of injury increases with increasing level of play and a history of injury.

Conclusion

Young players with a history of injury quickly moving to higher competition classes must be targeted with the highest injury prevention priority. Future studies should focus on improving the quality of studies by using comparable data collection methods.

Exploring the relationship between trunk muscles and lower limb injuries in Australian badminton players

Due to its dynamic nature, lower limb injuries are common in badminton. Overuse injuries of the knee, including tendon related conditions, are the most common. During jumping and landing, force transference and dissipation through the trunk is required, with the trunk muscles playing a vital role. However, the relationship between knee pain and the ability to voluntarily contract the trunk muscles has not yet been explored in badminton players. A cross-sectional study of Australian badminton players was therefore conducted. Players performed a single leg decline squat to identify those with knee pain. Ultrasound imaging was used to image and measure the size of the multifidus and quadratus lumborum, and the ability to contract the abdominal and multifidus muscles. Voluntary contraction of the trunk muscles was conducted with the subjects lying down. Independent samples T-Tests were performed to test for between group differences. Badminton players with knee pain had larger quadratus lumborum muscles and demonstrated a greater change in muscle thickness from the rested to contracted state. While we cannot comment on causation or direction, over co-contraction of trunk muscles has been shown in other studies to be associated with increased ground reaction forces on landing. Motor control training has been successfully used in other conditions to modify trunk muscle recruitment patterns and may therefore potentially represent a useful approach for badminton players.

Influence of Torsional Stiffness in Badminton Footwear on Lower Limb Biomechanics

Torsional stiffness of athletic footwear plays a crucial role in preventing injury and improving sports performance. Yet, there is a lack of research focused on the biomechanical effect of torsional stiffness in badminton shoes. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the influence of three different levels of torsional stiffness in badminton shoes on biomechanical characteristics, sports performance, and injury risk in badminton players. Fifteen male players, aged 22.8 ± 1.96 years, participated in the study, performing badminton-specific tasks, including forehand clear stroke [left foot (FCL) and right foot (FCR)], 45-degree sidestep cutting (45C), and consecutive vertical jumps (CVJ). The tasks were conducted wearing badminton shoes of torsional stiffness measured with Shore D hardness 50, 60, and 70 (referred to as 50D, 60D, and 70D, respectively). The primary biomechanical parameters included ankle, knee, and MTP joint kinematics, ankle and knee joint moments, peak ground reaction forces, joint range of motion (ROM), and stance time. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was employed for normally distributed data and Friedman tests for non-normally distributed data. The 70D shoe exhibited the highest ankle dorsiflexion and lowest ankle inversion peak angles during 45C task. The 60D shoe showed significantly lower knee abduction angle and coronal motions compared to the 50D and 70D shoes. Increased torsional stiffness reduced stance time in the FCR task. No significant differences were observed in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral ground reaction forces (GRF). However, the 70D shoe demonstrated higher vertical GRF than the 50D shoe while performing the FCR task, particularly during 70% - 75% of stance. Findings from this study revealed the significant role of torsional stiffness in reducing injury risk and optimizing performance during badminton tasks, indicating that shoes with an intermediate level of stiffness (60D) could provide a beneficial balance between flexibility and stability. These findings may provide practical references in guiding future badminton shoe research and development. Further research is necessary to explore the long-term effects of altering stiffness, considering factors such as athletic levels and foot morphology, to understand of the influence of torsional stiffness on motion biomechanics and injury prevalence in badminton-specific tasks.

Gender-Specific Patterns of Muscle Imbalance in Elite Badminton Players: A Comprehensive Exploration

The high-intensity demands of overhead sports exert significant stress on the bilateral shoulder complex, triggering adaptive kinematics and a distinct strength imbalance between internal and external rotators. The imbalance being referred to in the given statement poses a potential risk for humeral head displacement and puts nearby tendons under tension, heightening the vulnerability to injury. This study aims to assess muscle imbalances in badminton athletes. The first hypothesis (H1) suggests that there are differences in internal and external shoulder rotation movements between dominant and non-dominant segments in badminton players. The second hypothesis (H2) proposes that there are variations in muscle imbalances based on gender among elite badminton players. The objectives are to analyze these differences and explore potential gender-related variations in muscle imbalances. The study seeks to contribute to the understanding of muscle imbalances in badminton athletes and potentially guide training and injury prevention strategies in the sport. Using a cutting-edge Hand-Held Dynamometer (HHD), a cohort of 30 elite badminton players underwent an assessment to uncover any bilateral shoulder rotation strength imbalances during a challenging five second isometric maximum contraction. The participants boasted an average age of 17.4 years and a mean playing experience of 7.23 years. The study revealed a notable difference in the ratio of external and internal strength between the dominant and non-dominant shoulders (p = 0.000). This discrepancy amounted to a striking 27.93% muscle imbalance in external rotation/internal rotation strength ratios, favoring the dominant shoulder. Moreover, gender-specific differences were detected, with male players exhibiting a 24.54% muscle imbalance in favor of the dominant shoulder, while female players showcased a more substantial 31.33% imbalance (p = 0.000). In light of these findings, it became evident that elite badminton players possess considerably stronger dominant shoulders compared with their non-dominant counterparts. Furthermore, the study revealed that male players experience less muscular imbalance than their female counterparts.

Intelligent prediction of lower extremity loadings during badminton lunge footwork in a lab-simulated court

Introduction: Playing badminton has been reported with extensive health benefits, while main injuries were documented in the lower extremity. This study was aimed to investigate and predict the knee- and ankle-joint loadings of athletes who play badminton, with "gold standard" facilities. The axial impact acceleration from wearables would be used to predict joint moments and contact forces during sub-maximal and maximal lunge footwork. Methods: A total of 25 badminton athletes participated in this study, following a previously established protocol of motion capture and musculoskeletal modelling techniques with the integration of a wearable inertial magnetic unit (IMU). We developed a principal component analysis (PCA) statistical model to extract features in the loading parameters and a multivariate partial least square regression (PLSR) machine learning model to correlate easily collected variables, such as the stance time, approaching velocity, and peak accelerations, with knee and ankle loading parameters (moments and contact forces). Results: The key variances of joint loadings were observed from statistical principal component analysis modelling. The promising accuracy of the partial least square regression model using input parameters was observed with a prediction accuracy of 94.52%, while further sensitivity analysis found a single variable from the ankle inertial magnetic unit that could predict an acceptable range (93%) of patterns and magnitudes of the knee and ankle loadings. Conclusion: The attachment of this single inertial magnetic unit sensor could be used to record and predict loading accumulation and distribution, and placement would exhibit less influence on the motions of the lower extremity. The intelligent prediction of loading patterns and accumulation could be integrated to design training and competition schemes in badminton or other court sports in a scientific manner, thus preventing fatigue, reducing loading-accumulation-related injury, and maximizing athletic performance.

Case study: The influence of Achilles tendon rupture on knee joint stress during counter-movement jump - Combining musculoskeletal modeling and finite element analysis

BACKGROUND

Presently, the current research concerning Achilles tendon rupture repair (ATR) is predominantly centered on the ankle joint, with a paucity of evidence regarding its impact on the knee joint. ATR has the potential to significantly impede athletic performance and increase tibiofemoral contact forces in athletes. The purpose of this study was to prognosticate the distribution of stress within the knee joint during a countermovement jump through the use of a simulation method that amalgamated a musculoskeletal model of a patient who underwent Achilles tendon rupture repair with a finite element model of the knee joint.

METHODS

A male elite badminton player who had suffered an acute Achilles tendon rupture in his right leg one year prior was selected as our study subject. In order to analyze his biomechanical data, we employed both the OpenSim musculoskeletal model and finite element model to compute various parameters such as joint angles, joint moments, joint contact forces, and the distribution of knee joint stress.

RESULTS

During the jumping phase, a significantly lower knee extension angle (p < 0.001), ankle dorsiflexion angle (p = 0.002), peak vertical ground reaction force (p < 0.001), and peak tibiofemoral contact force (p = 0.009) were observed on the injured side than on the uninjured side. During the landing phase, the ankle range of motion (ROM) was significantly lower on the injured side than on the uninjured side (p = 0.009), and higher peak vertical ground reaction forces were observed (p = 0.012). Additionally, it is logical that an injured person will put higher load on the uninjured limb, but the finite element analysis indicated that the stresses on the injured side of medial meniscus and medial cartilage were significantly greater than the uninjured side.

CONCLUSIONS

An Achilles tendon rupture can limit ankle range of motion and lead to greater joint stress on the affected area during countermovement jumps, especially during the landing phase. This increased joint stress may also transfer more stress to the soft tissues of the medial knee, thereby increasing the risk of knee injury. It is worth noting that this study only involves the average knee flexion angle and load after ATR in one athlete. Caution should be exercised when applying the conclusions, and in the future, more participants should be recruited to establish personalized knee finite element models to validate the results.

Badminton-related eye injuries: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To report the nature of badminton-related eye injuries in the published literature.

METHODS

A review of the literature with key word and MeSH terms: 'Eye injury', 'Ocular trauma', 'Badminton' 'Shuttlecock' using CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Informit Health Collection databases. Papers were reviewed to assess the circumstances of the injury, patient demographics and clinical data.

RESULTS

19 studies from 1974 to 2020 from 12 countries reported 378 monocular badminton-related eye injuries from 378 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 2.5:1. A closed globe injury was sustained in 97% of eyes and a shuttlecock responsible for 85% of injuries. Doubles play, the shuttlecock and a lack of eye protection were associated with eye injury.

CONCLUSION

Vision impairment was associated with the majority of badminton-related eye injuries, and doubles play, the shuttlecock and a lack of eye protection were risk factors.

Notational Analysis and Physiological and Metabolic Responses of Male Junior Badminton Match Play

We examined the game characteristics of badminton and the physiological and metabolic responses in highly trained male junior players. Players from a Badminton England accredited Performance Centre (n = 10, age: 14.0 ± 1.2 y, height: 1.69 ± 0.06 m, body mass: 59.1 ± 5.0 kg) completed a 20-m shuttle run test (V˙O_2max: 64 ± 7 mL·kg^-1·min^-1) and a simulated ability-matched competitive singles badminton game consisting of two 12-min games with a 2-min break wearing the COSMED K5 metabolic system with notational analysis. In five games, 427 points were contested with a rally time of 5.7 ± 3.7 s, a rest time of 11.2 ± 5.9 s, shots per rally of 5.6 ± 3.6, work density of 0.50 ± 0.21, an effective playing time of 32.3 ± 8.4%, and shots frequency of 1.04 ± 0.29. During badminton play, heart rate was 151 ± 12 b·min^-1 (82 ± 10% of maximum heart rate), oxygen uptake was 39.2 ± 3.9 mL·kg^-1·min^-1 (62 ± 7% of V˙O_2max), and energy expenditure was 11.2 ± 1.1 kcal·min^-1 with a post-game blood lactate of 3.33 ± 0.83 mmol·L^-1. Compared to adult badminton play, the physiological responses of junior badminton are lower and may be due to the shorter rally durations. Male junior badminton players should be exposed to training methodologies which include rally durations in excess of what they encounter during match play so as to develop greater consistency. Our observations on game characteristics and physiological responses during junior badminton can be used to inform training practice.

Risk Factors for, and Prediction of, Shoulder Pain in Young Badminton Players: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Shoulder pain (SP) caused by hitting the shuttlecock is common in young badminton players. The objectives of the present study were to predict the risk factors for SP in young badminton players, and to determine the optimal risk factor cut-off that best discriminates those players who are at higher risk of suffering from SP.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted with 45 under-17 badminton players who participated in the Spanish Championship. Data were collected on anthropometric age, sports history, sagittal spinal curves, range of motion (ROM) and maximum isometric strength of shoulder. After 12 months, players completed a SP history questionnaire. Bayesian Student's t-analysis, binary logistic regression analysis and ROC analysis were performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 18 (47.4%) players reported at least one episode of SP. The shoulder internal rotation (SIR) ROM showed the strongest association (OR = 1.122; p = 0.035) with SP. The SIR ROM has an excellent ability to discriminate players at increased risk for SP (p = 0.001). The optimal cut-off for SIR ROM, which predicts players with an 81% probability of developing SP, was set at 55° (sensitivity = 75.0%, specificity = 83.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

The young badminton players who had a shoulder internal rotation ROM of 55° or less have a higher risk of SP one year later.

Performance Outcome Measures in Padel: A Scoping Review

Padel is a modern doubles racket sport which has become popular around the world in the last decades. There has been an increase in the quantity of scientific research about this sport in the last years. Therefore, the main objective of this scoping review is to provide an updated contextualization of research regarding padel. PRISMA ScR was used in order to search for articles fulfilling the inclusion criteria in five fields of interest: the anthropometric profile, physiology and physical performance, biomechanics, the epidemiology of injuries, and match analyses Seventy-seven records were included in the study. Padel is an emerging sport both in sport and research terms. This scoping review provides coaches and researchers with all the knowledge available in the five fields of interest. Furthermore, this study enables them to make a map of the current state of the research about padel, and it opens up doors to future investigations.

Short-Term Effects of Low-Fat Chocolate Milk on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Performance in Players on a Women's University Badminton Team

This study investigated the short-term effects of low-fat chocolate milk (LFCM) consumption on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and performance in female badminton players. Seven female badminton players (23 ± 1 years; height: 163.8 ± 4.1 cm; body mass: 58.7 ± 0.9 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 week of LFCM (500 mL) or placebo (water, 500 mL) consumption in a crossover design. Participants consumed LFCM or water immediately after each training session during the 1-week intervention. Performance variables (aerobic power, anaerobic power, agility, explosive power, and maximum handgrip strength) were assessed at two separate time points: pre and post-intervention (after 1 week). In addition, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to assess DOMS before, immediately after, and at 24 and 48 h after each training session. There were significant time effects for aerobic power, upper body explosive power, minimum anaerobic power, and time to exhaustion (TTE), which significantly increased after LFCM consumption (p < 0.05). Moreover, relative and maximum lower body power significantly (p < 0.05) increased, while rating of perceived exertion (RPE) as well as DOMS in lower extremity muscles immediately after exercise significantly decreased after LFCM consumption compared to placebo (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in maximum anaerobic power, agility, and maximum handgrip strength (p > 0.05). LFCM, as a post-exercise beverage, may help speed recovery in female badminton players leading to increased aerobic, anaerobic, and strength performance indices, increased TTE, and decreased muscle soreness and RPE.

Acute Effects of 2 Consecutive Simulated Badminton Matches on the Shoulder Range of Motion and Isometric Strength of Elite Youth Players

PURPOSE

To analyze the influence of playing 2 consecutive prolonged badminton matches on the shoulder strength and range of motion (ROM) of young players.

METHODS

Sixteen elite junior badminton players (12 males and 4 females; mean (SD): age 16.2 [0.8] years, body mass 63.5 [6.6] kg, height 173.2 [6.3] cm) participated in a cross-sectional study. Shoulder internal (IR)/external rotation (ER) ROM and IR/ER strength measures were conducted before and after 2 consecutive prolonged (ie, 35 min) matches and 12 hours after the second match.

RESULTS

After consecutive matches, IR strength of the dominant side and ER strength of the dominant and nondominant sides (effect size [ES] = 0.20-0.57) were reduced. Shoulder total ROM of the dominant side was decreased (ES = 0.80), while on the nondominant side, IR (ES = 0.66) was also decreased. After 12 hours, results showed decreased values in the IR/ER strength of the dominant side (ES = 0.36-1.00), as well as ER of both dominant and nondominant sides (ES = 0.30-0.59). IR ROM of the nondominant side (ES = 0.69) was also decreased.

CONCLUSION

Present results showed that 2 consecutive matches on the same day with brief rest periods led to significant impairments in shoulder strength and ROM levels. These data can potentially elucidate the need for shoulder-specific training and recovery strategies prior to or during competitions.

Biomechanics of lower limb in badminton lunge: a systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

Badminton is a popular sport activity in both recreational and elite levels. A lot of biomechanical studies have investigated badminton lunge, since good lunge performance may increase the chances to win the game. This review summarized the current trends, research methods, and parameters-of-interest concerning lower-extremity biomechanics in badminton lunges.

METHODOLOGY

Databases including Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and PubMed were searched from the oldest available date to September 2020. Two independent authors screened all the articles and 20 articles were eligible for further review. The reviewed articles compared the differences among playing levels, footwear designs, and lunge directions/variations, using parameters including ground reaction forces, plantar pressure distribution, kinematics, and kinetics.

RESULTS

Elite badminton players demonstrated higher impact attenuation capability, more aggressive knee and ankle strategy (higher mechanical moment), and higher medial plantar load than amateur players. Footwear modifications can influence comfort perception and movement mechanics, but it remains inconclusive regarding how these may link with lunging performance. Contradicting findings in kinematics is possibly due to the variations in lunge and instructions.

CONCLUSIONS

Playing levels and shoe designs have significant effects on biomechanics in badminton lunges. Future studies can consider to use an unanticipated testing protocol and realistic movement intensity. They can study the inter-limb coordination as well as the contributions and interactions of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to injury risk. Furthermore, current findings can stimulate further research studying whether some specific footwear materials with structural design could potentially compromise impact attenuation, proprioception, and performance.