SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW The extensive literature review reveals that most of the investigators focused their studies

only on the mechanics of instep kick in relation to the ball velocity. A few investigators (Moudgil, 1967; Rexroad, 1968; Plagehoef, 1971; Asai et al., 1980) studied the influence of approach angle on ball and leg velocities. These studies have demonstrated the influence of approach angles on ball and leg velocities. It is not known, however, how angular changes in approach will affect other kinematic variables. Investigation carried out by Isokawa and Lees (1988) did elicit the importance of approach angle in instep kick in order to generate the maximum ball velocity. They omitted the important fundamental skills that govern the success of soccer game i.e. distance covered by the ball and accuracy of the instep kick. It should also be noted that these investigations are limited to two-dimensional kinematic analyses (which ignores rotational effect) and also with small sample size which might have affected their results. Several researchers (Doolittle, 1971; Noss, 1967; Plgenhoef, 1968) examined the perspective error problem occurred in two-dimensional studies. It appears that the only complete solution to this perspective problem is three-dimensional studies (Tant, 1991). A single camera in planner film analysis cannot provide information about twisting or diagonal actions in different planes of a movement (Miller and Petak, 1973). Two or more cameras, utilised in a three-dimensional measurement technique could provide a better understanding of complex movement (Allard et al., 1995). The soccer instep kick involves complex movement of the whole body specially the lower extremity; thus a three dimensional measurement technique is required for a thorough analysis of this activity. To date no study has been reported on the three dimensional biomechanical aspects of the instep kick activity and the relative influence of approach angles on distance covered by ball and accuracy of the kick. The current study should add knowledge in the area of biomechanics of soccer kick.