The Effect of Lower Extremity Muscle Strength on Inside-Foot and Instep Kick Performance in Young Football Players

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of lower extremity muscle strength on inside-foot and instep kick performance in young football players. The study included 36 young male football players. The study consisted of three sessions with 72-hour intervals. The first session involved anthropometric measurements and tests of inside-foot and instep kick speed. The second session involved isometric tests of abductor and adductor muscles, and the final session involved isometric tests of quadriceps muscles. The relationships between muscle strength and kick speed were examined using Pearson correlation analysis, and the effect of muscle strength on kick speed was evaluated using linear regression analysis. A positive correlation was found between quadriceps and adductor muscle strength and instep kick performance (p < .05). In addition, adductor muscle strength was positively associated with insidefoot kick speed (p < .05). Regression analyses revealed that quadriceps and adductor muscle strength significantly affected instep kick speed, while adductor muscle strength also significantly affected inside-foot kick speed (p < .05). In conclusion, it can be said that quadriceps and adductor muscle strength are important determinants of insidefoot and instep kick speed; therefore, coaches should prioritize exercises targeting quadriceps and adductor muscle strength in training programs aimed at improving kicking performance in football players.

Cite this article as: Öztürk, B. (2026). The effect of lower extremity muscle strength on inside-foot and instep kick performance in young football players. Research in Sports Science, 16, 0001, doi:10.5152/rss.2026.26001.