Current Soccer Footwear, Its Role in Injuries and Potential for Improvement

Abstract

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and generates great financial revenue. It is also a sport whose practice has evolved considerably in terms of intensity and commitment, and in which the intrinsic risk of injury (not directly related to an interaction with the environment) is particularly high. In this context, the cleated shoe as a major component of soccer equipment may play a key role in the overexposure to injury. Soccer shoe evolution is all the more challenging, because design and mechanical structure differ in many points compared to other modern shoes developed for sports such as running, tennis and basketball.This critical review aims to elucidate the characteristics of modern soccer footwear and their possible link to soccer-specific injuries, focusing on the following areas: (1) ergonomics, comfort and proprioception; (2) shoe mechanical characteristics; (3) field surfaces and shoe design.

Relación del diseño de las botas de fútbol con la lesión en el fútbol: revisión sistemática.

“…En superficies duras, se puede inferir que aumentar el número de tacos mejora la distribución del estrés, y la altura del taco debe limitarse para maximizar la penetración y permitir un estrés mejor distribuido a lo largo de la suela exterior. Sin embargo, aumentar el número y la distribución de los tacos debe evaluarse cuidadosamente para evitar un diseño que pueda resistir fuertemente las rotaciones axiales 13 . Blachard y cols.…”

“…13 en su revisión concluyen que el comportamiento de los tacos puede ser sensible a la rigidez del suelo: los tacos no se hunden completamente en una superficie dura y el contacto no ocurre en toda la suela. En este contexto, se observan cambios en las propiedades de tracción con un mayor riesgo de lesiones y deterioro del rendimiento 13 . Poniendo otra vez de manifiesto, lo citado anteriormente, la longitud y número de tacos debe variar en función del terreno de juego.…”

“…Durante la última década, el diseño de la bota de fútbol ha cambiado drásticamente. Los diseños modernos incorporan sistemas de sujeción o fijación (tacos) de tipo cónico con distintas longitudes y número en función de la zona anatómica del pie o alargados, e incluso una combinación de ambos 2,13 . Desde las primeras investigaciones que evalúan la bota de fútbol, se ha puesto de manifiesto la fijación del pie con la superficie de juego como una de las principales causas de las lesiones de tobillo y rodilla.…”

The Fifth Metatarsal Bone Fracture In Athletes ‐ Modalities of Treatment Related to Agility In Soccer Players

“…Performing long passes during the game may significantly increase the loads on the lateral side of the foot. Some authors also report that soccer shoes tend to increase the load born on the foot’s sole ( Blanchard et al, 2018 ). After returning to sport, continuous monitoring of the athlete and appropriate management of training loads are recommended, and any pain symptoms should be immediately reported to the medical staff and never be ignored ( Kuzuyama et al, 2019 ; Thomson et al, 2018 ).…”

Influence of Footwear on Posture and Comfort in Elite Rugby Players

“…A forward shift of COP in the case of heel rise was previously associated with a release of the posterior muscle chain, able to prevent or treat several common pathologies such as Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and low back pain 25 34 35 36 37 38 . But it was also reported that it could be associated with an overload of the forefoot, increasing stress on sesamoid bones and on metatarsophalangeal joints (with an increased risk of hallux rigidus or hallux valgus) 39 40 41 , and a tendency toward plantar ankle flexion with an increased risk of posterior impingement syndrome 42 .…”