Biomechanics of acceleration and deceleration tasks in sport: A systematic review of the integration between mechanical and performance outcomes.

Abstract

Acceleration and deceleration are fundamental to sport performance, yet biomechanical studies do not consistently integrate performance outcomes with kinematic and kinetic analyses. To synthesize evidence on lower-limb biomechanics during sport-specific acceleration/deceleration tasks and determine whether performance-related outcomes were concurrently reported. This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 9 February 2026. Tasks were classified as linear or change-of-direction (COD) when braking/propulsive phases were explicitly quantified. A narrative synthesis grouped studies by task type and reporting of performance outcomes. Of 846 records, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most were laboratory-based experimental or observational studies focused on linear acceleration or maximal horizontal deceleration; fewer eligible studies examined COD tasks. Findings showed strong task specificity: acceleration studies emphasized early-step mechanics and horizontal force orientation, whereas deceleration studies highlighted high braking loads. Performance outcomes were reported less consistently than biomechanical variables, limiting evaluation of biomechanics-performance transfer. Acceleration-deceleration biomechanics are increasingly characterized, particularly for linear tasks, but performance measures remain inconsistently integrated. Future studies should standardize protocols and routinely include sport-relevant performance outcomes.