Fashionable football boots can be a danger to football players!

• There is a high chance of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) when falling unnaturally or trying to avoid a fall after an impact.
• Football players who have previously undergone an operation for an ACL injury are at high risk of injuring the same ligament if they do not build muscle to a suitable level before making a return to the sport.

It isn’t only women who take great care in selecting footwear. Athletes too must be selective when choosing shoes that are suitable for their individual foot shape and the sport they play. This is definitely true for football players whose footwear includes an important feature that is commonly referred to as “studs”. In some circles, studded football boots are now called “cleats”.

As grass is used as the surface for most football pitches, regular training shoes have an outer sole which is unsuitable for the purpose. Special boots, or “cleats”, have therefore been designed for use in the sport. Studs protrude from the bottom of the shoe to provide better grip on the football pitch. Another benefit of the studs is to prevent the players from slipping over when running or changing direction.

• Select a pair of football boots that is most suited to your foot shape: Each football player has his or her own individual foot shape; some people are larger and have wide feet, so boots which are too narrow will constrict the feet and cause pain. Also, those with larger feet should avoid choosing footwear that has a rigid upper section which could rub against the heel bone and cause pain for the wearer. Additionally, for those who have flat feet, selecting studs which have an extremely rigid sole could lead to injury in the area around the middle of the sole when running. This may result in acute plantar fasciitis.
• Select a pair that is most suited to the playing surface: Innovations in the area of footwear manufacture mean that various famous footwear brands have developed different types of studded footwear that are suitable for a range of playing surfaces. For example, soft ground studs are suited to artificial grass surfaces while regular firm ground studs are appropriate for regular grass surfaces.

While the leading worldwide brands have developed studded football boots to stop the wearer losing grip on the pitch, this same development has also had the effect of causing more injuries to football players. The reason is this: greater grip means that the way players slide results in fewer falls, meaning that the ankle is put under strain and the knee can subsequently twist, which is another cause of knee injury that many people do not consider.

Also, falling unnaturally or trying to avoid falling after an impact could potentially cause an injury to the ACL. Highly skilled players also tend to change direction constantly, twisting their knees when doing so, and this twisting requires the opposite foot to grip the floor. Thus, if these players do not have the required strength in the muscles surrounding the knee joint, or if they have a lack of core strength to keep their balance, this can lead to a loss of balance which may also result in a torn ACL.

With this in mind, the best way to prevent against injury after an impact or an extended slide is not to fight against natural momentum. A good example of how to do this is by observing Ronaldo, who tends to spring forwards when falling to reduce the impact and due to this technique usually avoids injury in hard-fought matches.

When world-class football players like Michael Owen suffer an ACL injury for the first time and make a speedy return to action, it can lead to them needing to undergo surgery once more. This is because players who have injured their anterior cruciate ligament to the extent that they require surgery should build muscle strength around the knee joint and ensure that their bodies are completely prepared before they return to full use of the knee again. When those knee joints which have already been operated on, are required to twist, even by just a little, there is a much greater chance of an ACL tear than in those who have never experienced such an injury.

Taking care not to rotate the knee too often when playing and making sure to build strength in the muscles surrounding the knee joint, as well as building core body strength, can help lower the risk of ACL injury and prevent against a repeat injury of the same joint for those who have already suffered this type of injury. This will then ensure that football players can stay away from the operating table. Undergoing repeat surgeries not only makes the surgery more difficult, but also increases the risk of complications occurring.