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Core Stability in Tennis Players

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Tennis Medicine

Abstract

The musculoskeletal core of the body includes the lumbar spine, the muscles of the abdominal wall, the back extensors, the quadratus lumborum, the diaphragm, and the pelvic floor [1, 2]. The core has been conceptually described as a muscular box [3]. The abdominal wall creates the anterior and lateral walls, the extensors form the posterior wall, and the top and the bottom of the box are formed by the diaphragm and pelvic floor, respectively. The muscles of the hip help to reinforce the bottom of the box and are essential for force generation and energy transfer to distal extremities. The core serves as the center of functional kinetic chain movement. It has been described as a corset that works as a unit to stabilize the body and spine, with and without limb movement [4]. It is particularly important in sports requiring overhead motion as it provides proximal stability for distal mobility [5].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas State University, Austin, TX, USA

    Natalie L. Myers

  2. Shoulder Center of Kentucky, Lexington Clinic Orthopedics, Lexington, KY, USA

    W. Ben Kibler

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  1. Natalie L. Myers
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  2. W. Ben Kibler
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Correspondence to Natalie L. Myers .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Concordia Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Giovanni Di Giacomo

  2. ATP World Tour, Rehab Plus Sports Therapy Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

    Todd S. Ellenbecker

  3. Lexington Clinic Orthopedics, Lexington, KY, USA

    W. Ben Kibler

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Myers, N.L., Kibler, W.B. (2018). Core Stability in Tennis Players. In: Di Giacomo, G., Ellenbecker, T., Kibler, W. (eds) Tennis Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71498-1_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71498-1_32

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71497-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71498-1

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