ABSTRACT
In performing kicking movements the dominant extremity functions as an open kinetic chain system. In this segmental link system the internal muscle torques act between the individual links, which in soccer kicking are thigh, shank and foot. These body segments move by rotating around an imaginary axis of rotation that passes through the articulation of the segments. The motion of rotating body segments in kicking can be described in terms of angular position, displacement, velocity or acceleration. The linear velocity of the rotating foot hitting the ball is directly proportional to the sum of both the angular velocity and the radius of rotation of the consecutive body segments. The timing of these consecutive rotational movements is important in relation to the impact of the foot with the ball when maximizing the release velocity of the ball in kicking. The linear momentum of the kicking leg transfers to the ball according to the relationship between the force impulse and the change of linear momentum.
