LUNGE FORCES AND TECHNIQUE OF JUNIOR SQUASH PLAYERS

Abstract

The lunge movement is used regularly in squash, as well as in other sports such as badminton and fencing, and the ability to complete a controlled lunge quickly can be a crucial part of the game (Cronin, McNair, & Marshall, 2003). The lunge has been recognised as placing high physical demands on the lower limbs, with vertical ground reaction forces (GRF) exceeding 2.5 times body weight during a badminton lunge (Kuntze, Mansfield, & Sellers, 2010). There have been a number of studies examining the forces produced by adult athletes performing a lunge movement (Lees & Hurley, 1994; Kuntze, Mansfield, & Sellers, 2010), however, to date there is very little information on the kinetics or kinematics of the squash lunge technique as performed by junior athletes. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the ground reaction forces produced by junior squash players while performing a simulated forehand and backhand lunge shot.