GENDER EFFECTS ON LIMB DOMINANCE IN KICKING BIOMECHANICS IN ELITE SOCCER PLAYERS

The objective of this study was to study the effect of gender on the limb dominance in kicking in soccer players. Forty-five players (twenty-six females and nineteen males) belonging to elite soccer teams volunteered to take part in the study. They performed 5 instep soccer kicks with either limb into a target 7m away. Female soccer players h d a lesser flexed knee at ball impact in the non-dominant limb which contributed to lower ball velocities in the toe and subsequently in the ball. Both gen&rs had a shorter backswing with the non-dominant limb, but this difference was made up in the follow through for males and in the subsequent phases for females. Working on bilateral symmetry and coordination would help improve kicking with the non-dominant limb, especially in females