The importance of jump height for the badminton smash and subsequent landing movement pattern
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30827/ijrss.36981Keywords:
forehand jump smash, joint kinematics, kinetics, single leg landing, smash performanceAbstract
The explosive nature and fast-paced gameplay in badminton often leave players with reduced ground contact preparation time after executing a jump smash. This study aims to investigate the relationship between jump height, smash performance (shuttlecock speed, racket speed, smash angle, shuttlecock-contact height, absolute shuttlecock-racket impact location), and landing parameters (ground reaction force, impulse, landing time, lower limb joints kinematics) during badminton jump smashes. Kinematic and kinetic data of 21 male sub-elite junior badminton players were collected simultaneously for each jump smash trial using 18 Qualisys cameras and 3 Kistler force plates. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that higher jumps increased shuttlecock-contact height (p=0.020) and resulted in steeper shuttlecock angles (p=0.025), enhancing smash effectiveness. However, greater jump heights also correlated with higher peak landing vertical ground reaction forces (absolute, p=0.013; normalised, p=0.023), shorter time to peak force (p=0.013), and greater landing impulse at 50 ms (p=0.003), indicating increased injury risk due to higher impact loads. Players achieving greater jump heights landed with a more extended knee (p=0.023), greater knee external rotation (p=0.001), and increased lateral trunk flexion toward the racket side (p=0.001). The findings suggest that while higher jumps improve smash performance by allowing steeper shots, they also place knee at more extended position and potentially impose greater stress on the lower limbs during landing. Coaches should prioritise proper landing techniques to mitigate injury risks while maintaining performance benefits. Future research should explore the landing mechanics for different types of smashes i.e., jump-out smash to mitigate injury risks.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ming Wei Yeap, Harley Towler, Yuvaraj Ramasamy, Mark King
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Grant numbers ISNRG 001/2022-001/2022
