Upper‐body kinematics in team‐handball throw, tennis serve, and volleyball spike

Overarm movements are essential skills in many different sport games; however, the adaptations to different sports are not well understood. The aim of the study was to analyze upper‐body kinematics in the team‐handball throw, tennis serve, and volleyball spike, and to calculate differences in the proximal‐to‐distal sequencing and joint movements. Three‐dimensional kinematic data were analyzed via the Vicon motion capturing system. The subjects (elite players) were instructed to perform a team‐handball jump throw, tennis serve, and volleyball spike with a maximal ball velocity and to hit a specific target. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between the three overarm movements were found in 17 of 24 variables. The order of the proximal‐to‐distal sequencing was equal in the three analyzed overarm movements. Equal order of the proximal‐to‐distal sequencing and similar angles in the acceleration phase suggest there is a general motor pattern in overarm movements. However, overarm movements appear to be modifiable in situations such as for throwing or hitting a ball with or without a racket, and due to differences at takeoff (with one or two legs).