Visualization of Ball Kicking in Soccer

Abstract

Detecting the impact point location is useful to explain the causal relationship between kicking motion and ball behavior. However, the three-dimensional measurement of impact point in kicking motion is rarely reported. We aimed to clarify differences in the three-dimensional impact point location among straight, curve, and knuckle kicks in soccer, and relationship between their trajectories and ball rotation. The optical three-dimensional motion capture system was used to record kick motion. Impact point location was detected using a virtual surface models of foot and ball. Face vectors of foot surface and swing vectors of impact point when the kick impact occurs were calculated. Coordinate values of impact points on the foot were lateral=-26.8±4.6 mm, horizontal=155.0±5.1 mm, vertical=50.6±1.7 mm; lateral=-37.1±2.2 mm, horizontal=151.3±13.0 mm, vertical=46.8±3.9 mm; lateral=-35.3±6.7 mm, horizontal=143.3±11.0 mm, vertical=50.0±2.5 mm in straight, curve, and knuckle kicks, respectively.