VARIABILITY IN KICKING LIMB JOINT COORDINATION – A STRATEGY USED WHEN SERVING THE MULTI-PLANAR KUDA AND SILA SERVES

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in kicking limb joint coupling coordination between kuda and sila serve techniques in the sport of sepaktakraw. Nine sepaktakraw servers, highly proficient in both techniques, participated in this study. Angle-angle plots and NoRM indices established variability in hip-knee and knee-ankle joint coordination. Similar angle-angle plots between trials within subjects suggested consistency in technique, but with some degree of joint coordination variability. Although not statistically different, larger hip-knee joint coordination variability and variation in individual knee-ankle joint coupling coordination between trials may be how servers adapt to the differences in ball placements at impact. This adaptation may be a strategy to generate maximal kuda kicking limb speeds necessary for optimal impact.