Injury risk is influenced by cleat selection. The improper soccer cleat, according to medical research and an Ottawa athletic therapist, can increase the chance of a knee injury, especially for children and recreational soccer players. A soccer cleat designed for natural grass, for example, can be dangerous if worn on artificial turf. The increased contact area and traction offered by such shoes can lead to injuries when playing on turf.
An Ottawa sports physical therapist says there are several factors that can increase a person's risk of injury while playing soccer. These include age, gender, body type, experience, fitness level, surface used for play, and type of soccer played. Soccer cleats also can raise a person's risk of injury. Factors such as design, material composition, and the wearer's interaction with them can influence how much injury risk an individual player faces. For example, someone who plays on turf regularly may have more muscle-related problems from wearing cleats than someone who plays on sand occasionally. Design aspects of soccer cleats that can increase injury risk include high-top shoes and boots with rigid soles. These types of shoes limit ankle movement and place greater stress on the foot and leg muscles when kicking or passing the ball.
Young players, women, older adults, and people with certain body types are at higher risk of injury because of their size, shape, or style of play. These groups of individuals should not be expected to match up with younger, stronger players or men when playing with regular footwear.
When selecting a sports cleat, experts advise considering factors other than color and price.
Black and white shoes are usually the most protective against injuries. Colors other than black or white indicate a higher risk of injury because those colors mean that the shoe does not have enough traction to keep it from slipping on grass or dirt fields.
For example, if you play on a field with mud puddles or gravel roads, it is important that you wear shoes that have cleats that will grip in these conditions. If you wear shoes without cleats, then you put yourself at risk of injury.
There are many different types of soccer cleats including field, training, and goalie models. Each type has its own advantages for different playing situations. For example, field cleats are best for playing on hard surfaces like concrete because they give your foot more support. Training cleats are used for playing on grass because they help distribute your weight more evenly across the foot. Goalie cleats are designed to provide traction when you are standing up straight behind the net; they should not be used as replacement for ice skates or blades.
Cleat Danger Walking on concrete will shorten, dull the cleats, and make them less efficient at grasping and penetrating the ground throughout the game. Wearing out your cleats may impair your traction, speed, ability to push off the field and change direction, and even cause you to slip, slide, and fall during the game. Not only that, but also doing so can be dangerous. You should never walk on a concrete field wearing cleats.
If you are asked to wear tennis shoes or other athletic shoes instead of cleats, then do so. They will provide you with more protection against injury as well as keep the cost of playing football lower.
However, most football players prefer to wear cleats because they give them an advantage over their opponents. By giving your team a running start or helping you gain position quicker when you need to make a tackle, cleats can be very useful tools for winning games.
Walking on concrete with cleats can be done safely if you follow some simple precautions: don't go out of your way to walk on concrete fields, avoid dark areas, and make sure the surface is clean before you begin walking.
These guidelines will help you avoid any problems while you are out on the field. If you are asked to wear tennis shoes instead, then understand the implications before agreeing to it. It's better to play in something that fits properly than wear cleats that won't protect you against injury.
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