A mechanical and electromyographical analysis of the effects of various joint counterforce braces on the tennis player

Abstract

Biomechanical data on most bracing and protective equipment systems is lacking. To better understand the clinical success of counterforce bracing, a biomechanical analysis of braced and unbraced tennis players (serve and backhand strokes) was undertaken. Three-dimensional cinematography and electromyographic techniques were used. Three commonly used counterforce braces (lateral elbow, medial elbow, and radial-ulnar wrist) were compared with the unbraced condition. The overall results basically reveal positive biomechanical alterations in forearm muscle activity and angular joint acceleration dependent upon the brace and joint area analyzed.