Kinetic and kinematic strategies integrating the trunk and lower limbs for a powerful soccer kick in amateur players

This study investigated the kinematic (KmS) and kinetic (KnS) strategies integrating the trunk and lower limbs to achieve maximal kicking performance. Although strategies consisting of individual joint movements or moments are known, strategies combining joint movements or moments of the trunk and lower limbs have been less studied. Fifty adult amateur soccer players were assessed. Peak joint angles and moments of the trunk, the hip of the supporting limb, the hip and knee of the kicking limb, and the velocities of the foot and ball were recorded. Canonical Correlation Analysis evaluated relationships between sets of variables. A combination of greater hip extension and knee flexion of the kicking limb, as a KmS, correlated with better kick performance (Rc = 0.60, <i>p</i> = 0.004). Furthermore, a combination of larger moments of trunk flexion and rotation, internal rotation of the supporting hip, hip flexion, and knee extension of the kicking limb, as a KnS, were associated with better performance (Rc = 0.74, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The explained variance was 43% for the KmS and 59% for the KnS. In amateur players, the KmS for better kick performance involved greater hip and knee movement of the kicking limb, while the KnS involved greater moments at the trunk and both lower limbs.