Curve Sprinting in Soccer: Kinematic and Neuromuscular
                    Analysis

Alberto Filter; Jesús Olivares-Jabalera; Alfredo Santalla; Jaime Morente-Sánchez; Jose Robles-Rodríguez; Bernardo Requena; Irineu Loturco

doi:10.1055/a-1144-3175

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2020; 41(11): 744-750
DOI: 10.1055/a-1144-3175

Training & Testing

Curve Sprinting in Soccer: Kinematic and Neuromuscular Analysis

Authors

Alberto Filter

¹Sports and Computer Department, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain

²Research and Development Department, Football Science Insititute, Granada, Spain
Jesús Olivares-Jabalera

²Research and Development Department, Football Science Insititute, Granada, Spain

³Physical and Sports Education Department Universidad de Granada, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
Alfredo Santalla

¹Sports and Computer Department, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain

²Research and Development Department, Football Science Insititute, Granada, Spain
Jaime Morente-Sánchez

²Research and Development Department, Football Science Insititute, Granada, Spain
Jose Robles-Rodríguez

⁵Faculty of Education, Psychology and Sports Science, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
Bernardo Requena

²Research and Development Department, Football Science Insititute, Granada, Spain
Irineu Loturco

⁶NAR - Nucleus of High Performance in Sport, Sport Science, São Paulo, Brazil

⁷Sport Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

⁸Department of Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Sprinting in curvilinear trajectories is an important soccer ability, corresponding to ~85% of the actions performed at maximum velocity in a soccer league. We compared the neuromuscular behavior and foot contact-time between outside leg and inside leg during curve sprinting to both sides in soccer players. Nine soccer players (age=23±4.12 years) performed: 3×Sprint linear, 3×Sprint right curve, and 3×Sprint left curve. An ANOVA with repeated measures was used to compare the differences between inside and outside leg, and Cohen’s d was used to calculate the effect-size. Considering the average data, the performance classification (from best to worst) was as follows: 1. Curve “good” side (2.45±0.11 s), 2. Linear (2.47±0.13 s), and 3. Curve “weak” side (2.56±0.17 s). Comparing linear with curve sprinting, inside leg recorded significant differences (“good” and “weak”; effect size=1.20 and 2, respectively); in contrast, for outside leg, there were no significant differences (“good” and “weak”; effect size=0.30 and 0.49, respectively). Electromyography activity showed significant differences (p≤0.05) during curve sprinting between outside (higher in biceps femoris and gluteus medius) and inside leg (higher activity in semitendinosus and adductor). In summary, inside and outside leg play different roles during curved sprints, but inside leg is more affected by the change from straight to curve sprint.

Key words:

football - change of direction - physical test - neuromechanical - cutting

Full Text

References

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