Leg preference and interlateral performance asymmetry in soccer player children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric sports science
• Motor development
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Leg preference, or footedness, is a key characteristic in human motor behavior.
• Understanding leg preference in young athletes is crucial for skill development and injury prevention.
• Soccer kicking involves complex kinematic patterns influenced by leg preference and asymmetry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess leg preference strength and interlateral kinematic asymmetry in young soccer players (6-10 years) during kicking for power.
• To investigate how leg preference differs across various tasks: balance stabilization, soccer-specific mobilization, and general mobilization.
• To examine the influence of age on leg preference and kinematic performance asymmetry.

Main Methods:

• Assessed leg preference strength for three distinct task categories in 6- to 10-year-old right-footed soccer players.
• Analyzed kinematic data, specifically peak foot velocity, to quantify interlateral performance asymmetry.
• Compared leg preference scores and performance increments between age groups (6-8 vs. 10 years).

Main Results:

• Consistent right leg preference was observed in both soccer-related and general mobilization tasks.
• Stabilization tasks showed lower leg preference scores and greater interindividual variability.
• No significant effect of age on leg preference was detected; kinematic performance asymmetry remained stable across development.

Conclusions:

• Leg preference strength varies depending on the motor task, with mobilization tasks showing stronger preference than stabilization.
• Interlateral asymmetries in kicking performance are established early and remain stable throughout this developmental period.
• Findings suggest that while leg preference strength may vary, the underlying kinematic asymmetry in soccer kicking is consistent in young players.