2023-06-27 14:00:37
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A new study shows that more than 80 percent of female players in major European football clubs suffer from persistent discomfort due to their ball shoes.
The European Clubs Association, which represents European clubs, surveyed 350 players from 16 top-flight teams.
The study found that 82 percent of them felt discomfort that might affect their performance, while a fifth said they had custom-fitted their shoes in an effort to improve comfort.
The soccer shoes currently on the market are largely designed for white males.
The new data showed that 34 percent of female players, who were surveyed anonymously, reported discomfort in their heels specifically.
The majority used custom insoles provided by podiatrists, and some players needed holes in their shoes to avoid constant rubbing and blisters.
The European Clubs Association found that heel discomfort was significantly higher among black players (48%), compared to 32% of white players.
Claire Bloomfield, ECA’s director of women’s football, said: “The numbers were amazing. We knew we were going to find something, but these numbers really shocked us all.”
“It has highlighted the importance of this work, and why it needs to be done now. The ultimate goal is to inspire change in the industry. It highlights a really key area that research has been neglecting.”
Sports scientists have previously warned of a lack of soccer kit designed for women, saying the use of shoes and balls designed for male players could increase their risk of injury.
The study indicated that problems with Achilles tendons and stress fractures in the metatarsal were linked to incorrect shoes.
Two out of five female players have told the European Club Association (ECA) that they do not feel the current football boot market offers good injury protection.
The research also explored differences between female and male feet, including width, height of the arches, metatarsal length, metatarsal joint angle, and ankle circumference relative to foot length.
Dr Katrin Krieger, Lecturer in Sports Rehabilitation at St Mary’s University, who supported UEFA in its study, said: “It was all about the foot, which really highlights that the shape of a football boot is not appropriate for women, and it is not just a minor problem. “.
“The area with the biggest problem overall is the heel of the foot, which causes discomfort and pain. When we look at it from a racial perspective, 48 percent of black female players had heel discomfort.”
“This highlights the fact that one design does not fit all, and that ethnicity plays a role in that as well.”
Funded by the European Club Association, the research is part of its commitment to gaining more knowledge about football equipment and clothing that enhance safety, performance and comfort for female players.
The information, collected over the course of 18 months, also includes details about the placement of the buttons on soccer shoes and how they may affect the movement of the players’ feet.
Concern has increased recently, due to the number of prominent players suffering from injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee, which studies show is more prevalent among females than males.
Asked if there was a direct link between incorrect shoes and injuries, Dr. Krieger said: “We don’t have that data yet. We don’t have anything to compare it with.”
“One of the things we say is we shouldn’t just copy what men do. Just because men haven’t thought about a certain piece of science doesn’t mean we can’t do it for women’s football.”
The first phase of the study has yet to be peer-reviewed and published, but the intention is now to make it freely available to all football boot brands, to help revolutionize women’s design.
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