Identifying predictors of players’ perception regarding sliding friendliness and the overall field performance of artificial turf systems for soccer

Abstract

Due to different design parameters, there is a large variety of artificial turf configurations on the market for soccer. The ultimate aim for any player surface is to maximize the performance and to minimize injuries. The aim of this study is to develop and validate the Football Turf Performance Questionnaire which measures the performance of an artificial turf soccer pitch and to identify predictors for both the overall performance and sliding friendliness based on the players' perceptions. Three types of artificial turf configurations were evaluated by an elite soccer team in five different trials. Statistical analyses were performed to check the reliability, the classification into factors and identification of predictors, respectively. The best predictors of the total judgement are the descriptors 'hardness of the field during falling and during sprinting' and 'traction during stopping' and the indicators 'traction' and 'shock absorption'. For sliding friendliness solely, the best predictors are the descriptor 'burning feeling of the skin after a sliding movement' and the indicators 'skin irritation' and 'traction'.