1. Kicking a field goal might look like a simple process, but it involves the synchronization of several systems in the body including the skeletal, nervous, and muscular system. Several sections of the musculoskeletal system are working when a football player kicks a field goal. The primary joints involved when kicking the ball include the hip (femur and ilium), knee (tibia and femur), and ankle (tibia and tarsals). Connected to each of these joints are the muscles that power them, with the hip flexor and thigh muscles performing a majority of the work during the main phases of the kick (Lipshutz, 2011). However, the calf muscles will also play a major role, both in actually kicking the ball and also in maintaining the stability of the body during the kick (Dale, 2017). The small bones in the foot, including the tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges, are also involved because they are the ones that have the actual contact with the ball.

2. The central and peripheral nervous systems are also involved when a football player kicks a field goal. The central nervous system refers to the brain and spinal cord; the peripheral nervous system to all the rest of the nerves that travel through the body. In fact, kicking a field goal begins in the brain, as the kicker considers issues like timing, wind or weather conditions, and the distance between the ball and the goal posts. The sensory division of the central nervous system is implicated in receiving information from the environment that influences the kicker’s methods. When the kicker is ready, he or she activates the peripheral nervous system’s motor division: the system of nerves that connect the central nervous system to the muscles that are involved in kicking the ball (“Peripheral Nervous System,” n.d.). Repetition of the kick systematically in football practice helps create the motor pathways that enhance muscle memory, allowing the kicker to hone skills and become more accurate over time.

References

Dale, P. (2017). The muscles and body parts needed to kick a football. Retrieved online: https://www.livestrong.com/article/354537-the-muscles-body-parts-needed-to-kick-a-football/

Lipshutz, D. (2011). The biomechanics of kicking a football. Retrieved online: https://web.sas.upenn.edu/biol438/files/2016/09/kickingppt-1rurp2n.pdf

“Peripheral Nervous System,” (n.d.). Retrieved online: https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Life-Science-Concepts-For-Middle-School/section/11.43/