# Assessing Table Tennis Technical Proficiency in Individuals with Disabilities: A Scoping Review
## 1 Introduction  
Sport participation is vital for maintaining good health and promoting psychological well-being for individuals with disabilities [1; 2]. Table tennis is a popular sport enjoyed by many, including those with physical and intellectual disabilities. Table tennis is a game played inside by two (singles) or four (doubles) players hitting a light ball over a net positioned in the middle of a 2.74 m \(\times\) 1.53 m rectangular table using small bats or paddles. A game is won by the first player or pair to reach 11 points with a two-point margin. Para-table tennis is currently the third largest Paralympic sport in terms of athlete numbers and is practiced in more than 100 countries worldwide. In para-table tennis tournaments, players can compete in wheelchairs (Classes 1-5), while standing (Classes 6-10), or against other players with intellectual disabilities (Class 11). Para-table tennis largely follows the same rules as table tennis, with minor modifications regarding the service rules for players competing in wheelchairs. Para-players who cannot grip a bat firmly can use straps and elastic bandages to secure the bat their hand. Some standing players with physical disabilities can use cany or cutches while playing the game. In the sport of table tennis, scientific research has been conducted on the equipment and the players. For example, previous work has examined polymer coatings of the racket [3], the kinematics of the racket [4], and how ball size, ball weight, and net height [5]could impact the success of the strokes. Pertaining to the human body, there are studies on players' anthropometric profiles [6] and footwork [7; 8; 9] and the biomechanics of various table tennis strokes [10; 11]. The rapid advancement in technology also facilitates heatmap analysis of players' positional behaviour [12] and pose estimation based on computer vision [13]. To comprehensively assess the motor skills of able-bodied table tennis players, the Netherlands Table Tennis Association developed the \"Dutch motor skills assessment\" [14]. This protocol comprises eight tests assessing gross motor function (i.e., sprint, agility, vertical jump) and ball control (i.e., speed while dribbling, aiming at target, ball skills, throwing a ball, and hand-eye coordination). With acceptable reproducibility, good internal consistency, and good prospects for validity [14], this Dutch protocol has yielded promising results in predicting future competition participation in a 9-year follow-up study [15]. In para-table tennis, however, the test protocols for motor skill and technical proficiency level are less well established. Among para-players with intellectual disabilities, [PERSON] and colleagues [16; 17; 18; 19; 20] have constructed a series of simulated tests and observation protocols to assess table tennis proficiency, while [PERSON] et al. [21] attempted to classify elite players based on their performance in service, return service, and other table tennis skills. For players with physical impairments, some studies have examined the biomechanical movement patterns [22; 23], functional reach abilities [24; 25], and trunk rotational function [26]. Most recently, [PERSON] et al. [27] developed a battery of six tests for the evaluation of stroke accuracy and service precision in 23 elite players with physical or intellectual disabilities. As there exists a wide range of tests applied to players with different types of disabilities, it will be useful to synthesise information on the various assessment protocols via a scoping review. A previous scoping review on the biomechanics of table tennis manoeuvres in able-bodied players has systematically summarised useful findings to improve training regimes for better table tennis performance [28]. As the movement characteristics differed between able-bodied and para-table tennis players [22; 23], a scoping review specifically on individuals with disabilities is warranted.