Biomechanical Factors Influencing Post-strike Ball Velocity in Football Players: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Optimising post-strike ball velocity is essential for success in football. Biomechanical factors play a significant role in determining ball speed. However, further investigation is needed to understand the specific relationships between the biomechanical factors and post-strike ball velocity in football players. Aim: To identify the key biomechanical factors contributing to post-strike ball velocity and provide insights for enhancing performance in league-level football players. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine at the Sri Ramachandra Centre for Sports Science, Tamil Nadu, India. The duration of the study was five months, from January 2022 to May 2022. The study included 25 professional male football players from national-level league teams. Participants performed maximal instep kicks while various kinematic variables were measured using Vicon cameras, Advanced Mechanical Technology Inc., (AMTI) force footplates, and a radar speed gun. Data processing was performed using Vicon Nexus software version 2.7. The data were analysed using R statistical software version 4.0.2. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) post-hoc tests, were used to compare the various kick matrices across the players. Pearson’s r correlation analysis was used to check for a correlation between post-strike ball velocity and other kick matrices. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the relative effects of various kick matrices on post-strike ball velocity, with significance set at a p-value <0.05. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 18.8 years. A significant positive correlation was observed between prestrike foot velocity (r=0.58) and training experience (r=0.48) with post-strike ball velocity. Step-wise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that 39% of the variance in post-strike ball velocity could be attributed to training experience and prestrike foot velocity. Conclusion: Training experience and prestrike foot velocity could be the most important factors to consider in order to maximise post-strike ball velocity among league-level football players.