How may a dominant and non-dominant instep kicking technique affect biomechanical factors associated with injury potential in elite female soccer?

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to compare the two-dimensional kinetics and kinematics of the stance leg’s knee joint, when elite female soccer players performed an instep kick using their dominant and their non-dominant foot. Four elite female soccer players completed six trials performing an instep kick with their dominant foot and six trials performing an instep kick with their non-dominant foot. Kinetic and kinematic data was measured from the participants’ stance legs, which included external ground reaction forces, angles, moments and powers created at the knee. A paired sample t-test indicated significantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater external ground reaction forces (PFZ) and knee moments (p < 0.00) produced through the participants’ stance leg when they kicked the soccer ball using the instep of their left foot, as a result of a more extended knee angle at peak force (θ at FZMAX) of 3.5%, compared to when they kicked the soccer ball with the instep of their right foot. As a result of this, when players perform an instep kick using their non-dominant foot, they are potentially more at risk for the occurrence of an injury to the knee of their stance leg, compared to when they perform an instep kick using their dominant foot.