Biomechanical Analysis of Elite Table Tennis Players Using High-Resolution Motion Capture and Kinetic Measurements: the Luxembourg Experience

Understanding joint loading in table tennis is critical for optimizing performance and preventing injuries. Our study employs an advanced biomechanical setup integrating 84 high-speed cameras for motion capture (Qualisys AB, Gothenburg, Sweden, 300 Hz), 16 force plates (Arsalis sprl, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 2000 Hz) for kinetic analysis, eye-tracking glasses (Tobii, Stockholm, Sweden) for visual cue assessment, and a table tennis robot (Butterfly Amicus Prime, Wilson, NC, USA) for standardized ball delivery. This comprehensive approach allows us to quantify movement patterns, joint kinetics, and visual processing under controlled conditions. All athletes undergo a yearly medical check-up, physiological and biomechanical tests, including a standardized basic test battery and a sport-specific test currently under development. The basic test battery assesses key motor skill characteristics such as strength and power, flexibility, Nordic hamstring strength, and anthropometry. By analyzing these parameters, we aim to identify key biomechanical factors enhancing performance and discovering injury mechanisms. To illustrate our approach, we present two case studies of elite table tennis players from Luxembourg. Preliminary findings will be presented alongside video material illustrating our experimental setup and methodology.