title: Mechanisms that influence accuracy of the soccer kick.
abstract: Goal scoring represents the ultimate purpose of soccer and this is achieved when players perform accurate kicks. The purpose of the present study was to compare accurate and inaccurate soccer kicks aiming to top and bottom targets. Twenty-one soccer players performed consecutive kicks against top and bottom targets (0.5m(2)) placed in the center of the goal. The kicking trials were categorized as accurate or inaccurate. The activation of tibialis anterior (TA), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF) and gastrocnemius muscle (GAS) of the swinging leg and the ground reaction forces (GRFs) of the support leg were analyzed. The GRFs did not differ between kicking conditions (P > 0.05). There was significantly higher TA and BF and lower GAS EMG activity during accurate kicks to the top target (P < 0.05) compared with inaccurate kicks. Furthermore, there was a significantly lower TA and RF activation during accurate kicks against the bottom target (P < 0.05) compared with inaccurate kicks. Enhancing muscle activation of the TA and BF and reducing GAS activation may assist players to kick accurately against top targets. In contrast, players who display higher TA and RF activation may be less accurate against a bottom target. It was concluded that muscle activation of the kicking leg represents a significant mechanism which largely contributes to soccer kick accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Laboratory of Neuromechanics, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences of Serres, Serres, Greece. akatis@phed-sr.auth.gr
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katis
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giannadakis
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kannas
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amiridis
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kellis
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lees
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult