TennisNCT07733869
The Addition of Core Muscle Training on Tennis Serve Speed in Tennis Players
A study testing Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening Program in people with Tennis and Tennis Serve Performance, run by Cairo University at 2 sites in Lebanon.
Trial summary
Compared with shoulder-only training and with continued tennis training alone, will the addition of core strengthening to shoulder training produce significantly greater improvements in flat serve ball speed in healthy tennis players? Secondary Hypothesis: Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Tennis, Tennis Serve Performance
- What is being tested?
- Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening Program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesLebanon
- Study dates
- 15 Jun 2026to 20 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy adults aged 18-35 years
- Recreational to competitive non-professional tennis players (currently playing ≥2 sessions/week for ≥1 year; NTRP 3.0-5.0 or equivalent ITN; no professional ranking or tour-level competition history)
- Right- or left-hand dominant (serve arm recorded)
- Able to perform a full flat serve without pain
- Willing to maintain current tennis training routine and refrain from starting other new strength/conditioning programs during the study
Who cannot join
- Current or history of shoulder pain/injury in the past 6 months (e.g., rotator cuff pathology, labral injury, impingement)
- Low back pain or lumbar spine pathology in the past 6 months
- Prior shoulder or spine surgery
- Systemic conditions affecting neuromuscular function (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, neurological disorders)
- Pregnancy
- Current participation in a structured core or shoulder strengthening program
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Lebanon2 sites, 2 recruiting
- Recruiting
Beirut Arab University
Beirut, Beirut, 1100
Ahmad El Melhat, PhD, +20 111 259 5022, a.melhat@bau.edu.lb
- Recruiting
BAU activities
Beirut, Giza, 2356
Ahmed El Melhat, 01112595022, s.mohamad@bau.edu.lb
Ahmed ELMelhat, PhD
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Adding Core Muscle Training With Shoulder Strengthening in Tennis Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Compared with shoulder-only training and with continued tennis training alone, will the addition of core strengthening to shoulder training produce significantly greater improvements in flat serve ball speed in healthy tennis players?
Secondary Hypothesis:
- Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater improvement in serve accuracy than shoulder-only training or tennis training alone.
- Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater improvement in TGAR than shoulder-only training or tennis training alone.
- Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater improvement in core strength/endurance and shoulder rotational strength than the comparator groups.
Read the detailed description
The kinetic chain model suggests that core musculature plays a crucial role in transferring energy from the lower body to the upper extremity during the tennis serve. However, evidence on the relationship between core strength and tennis serve (TS) ball speed and passive total glenohumeral arc of rotation (TGAR) remains inconsistent, warranting further investigation.
It is hypothesized that the addition of core muscle exercises to the training program would yield greater improvements in terms of tennis serve ball speed and TGAR when compared to a control group performing only shoulder exercises in tennis players.
Tennis players with at least 1-3 years of weekly tennis training will be included and allocated randomly into the control group (CG) and experimental group (EG). CG participants will perform shoulder exercises and sham core exercises. EG participants will receive the same training as CG in addition to performing core exercises. Both groups will participate in a 12-week intervention (2 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session). Pre- and postintervention assessments will include TS ball speed analysis and TGAR, respectively.
- Conditions
- Tennis, Tennis Serve Performance
- Being tested
- Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Sham core Treatment, Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening Program
- Keywords
- Serve Speed, Core Training, Shoulder training, strengthening, total glenohumeral arc of rotation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Sham core TreatmentOther
Delivered 2×/week for 10 weeks under supervision of a licensed physical therapist or certified strength and conditioning specialist. Progressive resistance program including:
- External/internal rotation strengthening (resistance band, cable, or dumbbell) at 0° and 90° abduction
- Scapular stabilization exercises (rows, Y-T-W raises, serratus punch)
- Posterior shoulder stretching (sleeper stretch, cross-body stretch) for the TGAR component
- Progressive overload every 2 weeks based on tolerated resistance/repetitions
Sham :Low-intensity, non-progressive trunk mobility exercises with minimal loading (e.g., seated trunk rotations without resistance, cat-camel stretches), matched for session time and attention to control for non-specific training effects, without targeting core strength/endurance adaptation.
Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening ProgramOther
Delivered 2×/week for 10 weeks, same sessions as the shoulder program (combined ~50-60 minute sessions), progressive core program including:
- Anti-rotation exercises (Pallof press)
- Rotational power exercises (medicine ball rotational throws, cable woodchoppers)
- Anterior/lateral/posterior chain stability (plank variations, side plank, bird-dog)
- Progressive overload via increased resistance, hold time, or instability surface every 2 weeks
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder+ sham core | Active comparator | Shoulder strengthening + sham/placebo core exercises (non-loading trunk mobility). Receives: Other: Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Sham core Treatment |
| shoulder strengthening exercises+ core strengthening | Experimental | Participants in EG performed the same shoulder strengthening exercises as in CG, coupled with a physical therapy core strengthening program. Receives: Other: Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Flat serve ball speed
Flat serve ball speed (km/h or mph), measured via radar gun (e.g., Stalker Pro II) or equivalent validated device, averaged across the best 5 of 10 flat serves hit into the deuce-side service box, measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Measured: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Secondary outcomes (4)
Serve accuracy
- Target-based scoring system: standardized service box divided into scoring zones (e.g., 5 concentric/quadrant zones worth 1-5 points); participant hits 10 flat serves aimed at a designated target zone (e.g., wide serve to deuce court corner); accuracy score = mean points across 10 serves.
- Recorded simultaneously with ball speed trials (speed-accuracy trade-off examined as an exploratory outcome).
Measured: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Total glenohumeral arc of rotation (TGAR)
● Passive internal rotation (IR) + external rotation (ER) range of motion measured via goniometry (or inclinometer) with scapula stabilized, participant supine, shoulder abducted to 90°, elbow flexed to 90°. TGAR = IR + ER (degrees). Measured bilaterally.
Measured: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Shoulder rotational strength
● Peak IR and ER isometric or isokinetic torque (Nm), measured via hand-held dynamometer (standardized stabilization protocol) or isokinetic dynamometer (60°/sec and 180°/sec) if available, at 0° abduction. ER/IR strength ratio calculated. Measured bilaterally.
Measured: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Core strength/endurance
● McGill core endurance battery: trunk flexor endurance test (seconds), bilateral side-bridge/plank endurance test (seconds).
Measured: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jul 2026
- Study start15 Jun 2026
- Primary completion15 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for TennisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ahmed ElMelhat, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07733869
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Core Vs shoulder in tennis
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 29 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Adding Core Muscle Training With Shoulder Strengthening in Tennis Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07733869
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Core Vs shoulder in tennis
- Conditions
- Tennis, Tennis Serve Performance
- Keywords
- Serve Speed, Core Training, Shoulder training, strengthening, total glenohumeral arc of rotation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Compared with shoulder-only training and with continued tennis training alone, will the addition of core strengthening to shoulder training produce significantly greater improvements in flat serve ball speed in healthy tennis players?
Secondary Hypothesis:
- Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater improvement in serve accuracy than shoulder-only training or tennis training alone.
- Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater improvement in TGAR than shoulder-only training or tennis training alone.
- Combined core + shoulder training will produce greater improvement in core strength/endurance and shoulder rotational strength than the comparator groups.
Detailed description
The kinetic chain model suggests that core musculature plays a crucial role in transferring energy from the lower body to the upper extremity during the tennis serve. However, evidence on the relationship between core strength and tennis serve (TS) ball speed and passive total glenohumeral arc of rotation (TGAR) remains inconsistent, warranting further investigation.
It is hypothesized that the addition of core muscle exercises to the training program would yield greater improvements in terms of tennis serve ball speed and TGAR when compared to a control group performing only shoulder exercises in tennis players.
Tennis players with at least 1-3 years of weekly tennis training will be included and allocated randomly into the control group (CG) and experimental group (EG). CG participants will perform shoulder exercises and sham core exercises. EG participants will receive the same training as CG in addition to performing core exercises. Both groups will participate in a 12-week intervention (2 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session). Pre- and postintervention assessments will include TS ball speed analysis and TGAR, respectively.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder+ sham core | Active comparator | Other: Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Sham core TreatmentShoulder strengthening + sham/placebo core exercises (non-loading trunk mobility). |
| shoulder strengthening exercises+ core strengthening | Experimental | Other: Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening ProgramParticipants in EG performed the same shoulder strengthening exercises as in CG, coupled with a physical therapy core strengthening program. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Healthy adults aged 18-35 years
- Recreational to competitive non-professional tennis players (currently playing ≥2 sessions/week for ≥1 year; NTRP 3.0-5.0 or equivalent ITN; no professional ranking or tour-level competition history)
- Right- or left-hand dominant (serve arm recorded)
- Able to perform a full flat serve without pain
- Willing to maintain current tennis training routine and refrain from starting other new strength/conditioning programs during the study
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Current or history of shoulder pain/injury in the past 6 months (e.g., rotator cuff pathology, labral injury, impingement)
- Low back pain or lumbar spine pathology in the past 6 months
- Prior shoulder or spine surgery
- Systemic conditions affecting neuromuscular function (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, neurological disorders)
- Pregnancy
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Sham core TreatmentDelivered 2×/week for 10 weeks under supervision of a licensed physical therapist or certified strength and conditioning specialist. Progressive resistance program including: * External/internal rotation strengthening (resistance band, cable, or dumbbell) at 0° and 90° abduction * Scapular stabilization exercises (rows, Y-T-W raises, serratus punch) * Posterior shoulder stretching (sleeper stretch, cross-body stretch) for the TGAR component * Progressive overload every 2 weeks based on tolerated resistance/repetitions Sham :Low-intensity, non-progressive trunk mobility exercises with minimal loading (e.g., seated trunk rotations without resistance, cat-camel stretches), matched for session time and attention to control for non-specific training effects, without targeting core strength/endurance adaptation. | Other | Shoulder+ sham core |
| Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening ProgramDelivered 2×/week for 10 weeks, same sessions as the shoulder program (combined ~50-60 minute sessions), progressive core program including: * Anti-rotation exercises (Pallof press) * Rotational power exercises (medicine ball rotational throws, cable woodchoppers) * Anterior/lateral/posterior chain stability (plank variations, side plank, bird-dog) * Progressive overload via increased resistance, hold time, or instability surface every 2 weeks | Other | shoulder strengthening exercises+ core strengthening |
Primary outcome
Flat serve ball speed
Time frame: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Flat serve ball speed (km/h or mph), measured via radar gun (e.g., Stalker Pro II) or equivalent validated device, averaged across the best 5 of 10 flat serves hit into the deuce-side service box, measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
4 secondary outcomes
Serve accuracy
Time frame: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Total glenohumeral arc of rotation (TGAR)
Time frame: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Shoulder rotational strength
Time frame: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Core strength/endurance
Time frame: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Shoulder Strengthening Program+ Core Strengthening Program in people with Tennis and Tennis Serve Performance, run by Cairo University at 2 sites in Lebanon.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Lebanon. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ahmad El Melhat, PhD (+20 111 259 5022, a.melhat@bau.edu.lb), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Flat serve ball speed (time frame: measured at baseline (Week 0) and post-intervention (Week 12).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jul 2026.