Biomechanical Analysis of Kicking Techniques in Football Athletes Using a Motion Analysis Approach

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the biomechanics of kicking techniques employed by football athletes at the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Makassar, using a quantitative motion analysis approach. A total of 20 male football athletes aged 18–22 years participated as subjects. Three primary kicking techniques were examined: the instep kick, the inside foot kick, and the outside foot kick. Kinematic variables including joint angle, angular velocity, and linear velocity of the ball were measured using a two-dimensional video-based motion analysis system with a high-speed camera operating at 240 frames per second. The results revealed that the instep kick produced the highest ball velocity, averaging 28.4 ± 2.1 m/s, compared to the inside foot kick at 21.7 ± 1.8 m/s and the outside foot kick at 19.3 ± 1.5 m/s. The knee joint extension angle at the moment of ball contact was significantly correlated with ball velocity (r = 0.87, p < 0.01). Findings indicate that optimal biomechanical execution, particularly maximizing knee extension and hip flexion angular velocity during the kicking phase, substantially improves kicking performance. This study provides empirical data to inform training program design for football coaches and athletes.