Ball Kicking Biomechanics

Ball kicking is a key action performed in a number of sports such as soccer, Australian football, and the rugby codes. In goal or point scoring situations (e.g., penalty kick in soccer and place kick in rugby), maximising the ball velocity is considered the primary determinant of kick success. However, since a kick also needs to be accurate or it will miss the intended target, biomechanical research has tended to focus on both these aspects of kicking performance. This article will describe the biomechanical factors that affect ball kicking performance, with a particular focus on the Soccer instep kick. First, the mechanics of the kick leg from the top of the backswing through to ball impact will be discussed. Next, other factors such as the influence of pelvis, torso, and support leg motion on the kick leg will be considered. Some of the important characteristics of other variations of the kicking skill such as the side-foot and punt kicks will also be summarised. The article will conclude with some practical recommendations and suggestions for future research.