Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07307378

Lower Limb Biomechanics of the Roundhouse Kick in Elite and Youth Taekwondo Athletes Using FPCA

This study aims to understand how the lower limbs (hip, knee, and ankle) function during a taekwondo roundhouse kick. Elite and youth taekwondo athletes will be compared to identify movement and muscle-activation patterns related to kicking performance. Participants will attend one testing session at Ludong University, China. During the session, participants will complete a standardized warm-up and then perform a series of roundhouse kicks. Body movement will be recorded using motion-analysis equipment, and muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography (EMG) sensors placed on the skin. These recordings will be used to examine how joint motion and muscle activation change over the kicking movement. The study is expected to involve minimal risk, similar to routine sports testing. Possible discomforts include temporary muscle fatigue or mild soreness. Participants may not receive direct benefit, but the findings may inform training and injury-prevention strategies for taekwondo athletes. All collected data will be kept confidential and analyzed without personal identifiers.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick Biomechanics

Age range

14 year–30 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Sports Biomechanics Laboratory

Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Healthy taekwondo athletes currently training and actively participating in taekwondo.
Able and willing to provide written informed consent (and assent with parental/guardian consent for minors, if applicable).
Assigned to either the elite group or the youth group based on competition level and/or age category as defined in the study protocol.

Exclusion criteria

Current pain, acute injury, or musculoskeletal disorder affecting the lower limbs or trunk that could influence kicking performance.
Any injury or illness within the past 3 months that limited full training participation.
Neurological, cardiovascular, or other medical condition that may make vigorous sport-specific testing unsafe.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Lower-Limb Joint Angles During the Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick

Time frame: Day 1

Time-series hip, knee, and ankle joint angles (degrees) during standardized roundhouse kick trials. Waveform-based analyses (including FPCA) will compare elite and youth athletes.
Lower-Limb Net Joint Moments During the Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick

Time frame: Day 1

Time-series net joint moments at the hip, knee, and ankle (Nm or normalized as Nm/kg) during standardized roundhouse kick trials. Waveform-based analyses (including FPCA) will compare groups.
Ground Reaction Forces During the Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick

Time frame: Day 1

Time-series ground reaction forces (N or normalized as N/body weight) collected from force platforms during kick trials (e.g., vertical/anterior-posterior/medial-lateral components). Group comparisons will use waveform-based analyses (including FPCA).
Surface EMG Amplitude Measures During the Taekwondo Roundhouse Kick

Time frame: Day 1

Surface EMG from selected lower-limb muscles recorded during kick trials. EMG amplitude outcomes include root mean square (RMS, µV) and integrated EMG (iEMG, µV·s), calculated over pre-specified phases of the kick. Comparisons will be made between elite and youth athletes.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universiti Sains Malaysia

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of Lower Limb Biomechanical Analysis of Roundhouse Kick in Elite and Youth Taekwondo Athletes Through Functional Principal Component Analysis.

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Dec 29, 2025
Registry last updated: Jan 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.