Motion Analysis and Biomechanics of the Side-Foot Soccer Kick

Abstract

Soccer, otherwise known as football, holds the title as the most popular worldwide sport. Soccer players rely heavily on the ability to execute an accurate delivery of the ball to a target using primarily the lower body. Sports science research includes a focus on the most basic kicking techniques, the side-foot kick. In addition to a discussion on recent literature of the biomechanics of this motion, a comparative kinematic study evaluated determinants of an accurate side-foot kick based on subject kicking foot velocity and the subsequent ball velocity. The results revealed that subjects with the lowest foot and ball velocities (3.6±1.5 m·s-1 and 8.0±1.6 m·s-1, respectively) also had the most accurate shots on straight targets (2.7˚±1.5˚ deviation). However, a PCC correlation test revealed a significant correlation between higher foot velocity and higher accuracy. Although the study determined no significant correlation, there existed a trend in the calculated averages of the raw data showing that higher ball velocity resulted in higher accuracy.