Effect of Core Versus Shoulder Strengthening on Tennis Serve Velocity in Young Adult Tennis Players

NCT06221514 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Core training on TS velocity
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effect of a 4-week core strengthening program on flat serve velocity and arc of shoulder rotation in amateur young adult tennis players . Participants will serve the tennis ball four times during the initial and final flat tennis serve assessments. Furthermore, participants will be divided into two groups and given different strengthening programs. Researchers will compare Group A (shoulder strengthening group) and Group B (core strengthening group) to see if there is any difference between the core and shoulder training programs on the flat serve velocity.

Conditions

Tennis Serve Performance; Tennis

Keywords

tennis; serve velocity; strength; core; shoulder; radar gun

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Serve Ball Speed Analysis

  1\. The flat serve speed will be measured in miles per hour using the Bushnell Velocity Speed Radar Gun, which measures the speed of the ball up to 90 feet away (10 to 110 mph) within +/- 1 mph accuracy. The therapist will hold the radar at least 6 feet behind the player in the center of the baseline, aligning it with the height approximate to the center of the racket head at the point of ball contact and pointing down the center of the service box (Fernandez-fernandez et al., 2013; Myers et al., 2015).

  Baseline (pre- the-4 week training program) , post-the- 4 weeks training program .

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Total Glenohumeral Arc of Rotation

  Baseline (pre- the-4 week training program) , post-the- 4 weeks training program .

Study Arms (2)

Core Group

OTHER

Each session will begin with a 5-10-minute core dynamic warm-up exercise and 20-minute shoulder exercise training. The participants then will perform approximately 10 minutes of core exercises using therapy resistance bands. All players will rest for a few seconds between the exercises. The core exercises will include: bicycle crunches with the band placed around the feet, standing knee tucks with the band placed around the feet (without shoulder rotations and while applying posterior pelvic tilts), flutter kicks with the band placed above the ankles, leg raises with knees flexed and no resistance band, and posterior pelvic tilts from a supine position with hold. Lastly, the training session will end with a 5-10-minute cool-down.

Other: Core Strengthening Programs

Shoulder Group

OTHER

Each session will begin with a 5-10-minute shoulder dynamic warm-up exercise. The participants then will perform approximately 30 minutes of shoulder exercises using therapy resistance bands. All players will rest for a few seconds between the exercises. The shoulder exercises will include: internal and external rotations with the elbow flexed and band wrapped around an object of appropriate height, shoulder abduction to 90˚ with band placed under feet for fixation, shoulder flexion to 90˚ with band placed under feet for fixation, and seated rowing with band held in hands while being placed around the feet were all performed in a sitting position to avoid activation of core muscles. Lastly, the training session will end with a 5-10-minute cool-down.

Other: Shoulder Strengthening Programs

Interventions

Core Strengthening Programs OTHER

The program will be carried out for 4 weeks, 2 times a week, for approximately 50 minutes. Each exercise was performed in 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Core Group

Shoulder Strengthening Programs OTHER

The program will be carried out for 4 weeks, 2 times a week, for approximately 50 minutes. Each exercise was performed in 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Shoulder Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• (1)Tennis playing experience between 1 to 3 yrs.(2)Trains 2-3 times per week for a minimum of 1-2 hours per day.(3)Trained in flat serve.(4) Right and Left-handed Players.(5) Females and males.(6) Young adults age ranging from 18-25 years.

You may not qualify if:

• (1)Players who underwent specific shoulder or core strength training in the past year.(2)Players who had a history of UE injury (dislocation, rupture, fracture, surgery ) that prevents them from playing .(3) back or knee pain for at least the past year .(4) Players with Cardiovascular diseases or metabolic disorders. (ex: DM)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences

Giza, 2334, Egypt

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Fernandez-Fernandez J, Ellenbecker T, Sanz-Rivas D, Ulbricht A, Ferrautia A. Effects of a 6-week junior tennis conditioning program on service velocity. J Sports Sci Med. 2013 Jun 1;12(2):232-9. eCollection 2013.

  PMID: 24149801 BACKGROUND

• Treiber FA, Lott J, Duncan J, Slavens G, Davis H. Effects of Theraband and lightweight dumbbell training on shoulder rotation torque and serve performance in college tennis players. Am J Sports Med. 1998 Jul-Aug;26(4):510-5. doi: 10.1177/03635465980260040601.

  PMID: 9689369 BACKGROUND

• Myers NL, Sciascia AD, Westgate PM, Kibler WB, Uhl TL. Increasing Ball Velocity in the Overhead Athlete: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Oct;29(10):2964-79. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000931.

  PMID: 25763521 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Lebanese Tennis Federation

Study Officials

• Ahmet M. El Melhat, Phd

  Cairo University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Ahmet M. Elmelhat, PhD

CONTACT

01112595022; ahmed.elmelhat@cu.edu.lb

Arwa A Mekkaoui, BSc.

CONTACT

+90 5549681570; arwamekk.pt@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: In this study, double-blinding will be optimized to ensure that the participants are unaware of the study's aim and exact details; in addition, the pre- and post-radar gun assessments will be performed by someone other than the researchers, preferably a tennis coach. Furthermore, shoulder and core training will be performed in the BAU gym under the direction and supervision of coaches and physical therapists; the training program will be given and performed with the coaches before implementing them with the participants.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor at Beirut Arab University and Cairo University

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 15, 2024
• First Posted: January 24, 2024
• Study Start: February 20, 2026
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2026
• Study Completion: June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

EG (1)