Finite element analysis of stress distributions in knee ligaments and menisci during the Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick

To describe relative mechanical loading exposure and stress-distribution patterns in major knee ligaments and menisci during the Taekwondo Roundhouse kick at four biomechanically defined key moments (E1–E4). Twelve elite male Taekwondo athletes performed standardized Roundhouse kicks with synchronized motion capture and ground reaction force measurement. Cohort-mean kinematics and net knee joint reaction forces estimated in OpenSim were applied to a subject-specific knee finite element (FE) model. Four independent quasi-static FE snapshots were solved at E1–E4. Model contact behavior under a 1000 N axial compression benchmark was compared with published ranges for plausibility. Across E1–E4, the supporting leg showed consistently higher stress exposure in cruciate/collateral ligaments and menisci than the attacking leg. Stress hotspots were primarily localized near ligament attachment regions and at the posterior horn/peripheral zones of the menisci, with the supporting-leg lateral meniscus demonstrating the most pronounced meniscal stress concentration. The supporting knee bears the dominant mechanical demand during the Roundhouse kick, suggesting that training and technique optimization should prioritize load management of the supporting leg and control of stress exposure in key knee tissues.