Expertise shapes the kinematic and electromyographic characteristics of on-ice side-cutting in elite versus beginner ice hockey players

To explore the differences in lower limb kinematics and muscle activation during an on-ice cutting maneuver between ice hockey players of varying skill levels. This study aims to characterize kinematic and neuromuscular differences to inform level-specific training and identify potential injury risk factors. Fifteen elite and fifteen beginner male ice hockey players performed 45° on-ice cutting maneuvers at self-selected maximum speeds. Kinematic and sEMG data were collected synchronously. An OpenSim model was used for inverse kinematics calculations of joint angles. Independent samples t-tests and Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM1D) were employed for statistical analysis. Elite ice hockey players exhibited a biomechanical pattern characterized by greater proximal joint flexion during the center-of-mass transfer phase. Compared to beginners, elite players exhibited significantly greater peak hip and knee flexion (P < 0.01), alongside lower quadriceps activation (P < 0.01) and a higher knee co-activation ratio (P = 0.02). These findings indicate that expertise is associated with optimized kinematics and lower activation costs to achieve greater dynamic stability. While interpreting these results within the context of study limitations (e.g., absence of kinetics, n = 15), the data suggest that expertise is fundamentally linked to proximal control. Consequently, developing athletes may benefit from targeted interventions focusing on hip mobility and neuromuscular coordination.