To What Extent Do Table Tennis Players Accurately Perceive Their Movements? A Comparison of Subjective and Objective Evaluations

This study investigates the gap between subjective evaluations and motion measurement data in the forehand drive movements of university table tennis players, examining the accuracy of movement perception across different skill levels. The participants were 20 male players, with 10 classified as the advanced group (having competed in a national-level tournament in Japan) and 10 as the intermediate group (non-national tournament competitors). Motion data were collected using an optical motion capture system, and participants subjectively rated the speed of five joint movements using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The absolute differences between measured motion data and subjective evaluations were calculated for each joint, and the average difference per participant was defined as their perception gap. An independent t-test was conducted under the assumption of equal variance to compare the two groups. Results showed that the intermediate group had a significantly larger perception gap than the advanced group, suggesting that inaccurate movement perception may hinder skill improvement. Conversely, the advanced group exhibited a smaller perception gap, indicating a more accurate awareness of their movements. These findings highlight the importance of refining movement perception in training to enhance table tennis performance.