Understanding biomechanical demands during volleyball spike and block landings: A systematic review

Volleyball is a sports discipline that involves complex technical movements, where the phases of movement are closely related to kinematic parameters. Spike and block actions play a crucial role in determining match outcomes, as volleyball players perform numerous jumps and subsequent landings throughout a game. This review therefore aims to clarify the biomechanical insights derived from studies examining the kinetic and kinematic parameters during the landing phases of spike and block techniques, which are fundamental skills in volleyball. A systematic review was conducted using four databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct) with the keywords “landing mechanics in volleyball,” “landing kinematics in volleyball,” “landing mechanics of spike technique in volleyball,” and “landing mechanics of block technique in volleyball.” As a result of the database screening, fourteen articles (n=14) were included in the study. In conclusion, it was observed that studies on landing mechanics in volleyball are predominantly focused on the landing phase following the block action. It was found that the most critical kinematic variables affecting landing mechanics are valgus-varus angles, joint angles, joint moments, range of motion, ground reaction force, muscle stiffness, and muscle strength. Additionally, the findings consistently indicated that female volleyball players have greater joint range of motion and higher knee valgus angles, which are associated with increased injury risk.