Biomechanical analysis of successful versus unsuccessful free throw shots performed by professional basketball players

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the kinematics and kinetics of successful versus unsuccessful basketball free throw shots. Six professional basketball players (age= 23±2.09 years members of Iranian premier basketball league participat in test. Kinematics of arm motion during basketball free throws were recorded by two Casio zr200 camera in frequency of 240 Hz. Wilcoxon test was used for significant differences between successful versus unsuccessful free throws (p ≤ 0/05). Angular velocity of the wrist was found to be significantly higher in successful versus unsuccessful shots at the time of ball release (p ≤ 0/028). Wrist (p ≤ 0/008) and shoulder (p ≤ 0/023) joints were found to have significantly more flexion in successful versus unsuccessful shots while elbow (p ≤ 0/002) remained significantly less flexed in successful shots. Angular displacement of wrist (p ≤ 0/034) and elbow (p ≤ 0/004) was shown to be significantly greater in successful versus unsuccessful shots. Integrated EMG of Anterior Deltoid (AD), Triceps Brachii (TB) and Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR) muscles was more in successful free throw versus unsuccessful free throw, but the only significant difference was observed in the Integrated EMG of the Triceps Brachii muscle (p ≤ 0/034). In summery, increasing the wrist angular velocity and activity of triceps brachii muscle affected successful free throws.