The anatomy of Human Foot and its injuries related to poor football footwear.

The need for football footwear improvement:

According to "The Guardian":

"Steve Bruce (Sunderland's Manager) has called for a conference on footballers footwear and the state of modern pitches in the wake of horrific injuries suffered by players wearing fashionable blades rather than conventionally studded boots. Already this season Manchester Uniteds Antonio Valencia and Sunderlands Fraizer Campbell have sustained appalling injuries after their feet became trapped in the turf as they contested possession. [1] Read more: http://soccerlens.com/shirts/can-football-boots-cause-injuries/7694/#ixzz1Iajvrb1r

[1]Pasted from <http://soccerlens.com/shirts/can-football-boots-cause-injuries/>

The Sunderland manager said. I think weve really got to look at this because there is a problem. It would be interesting to see some research into modern pitches and also footwear, which, on a lot of occasions, leave a lot to be desired. [2] Read more: http://soccerlens.com/shirts/can-football-boots-cause-injuries/7694/#ixzz1IalBC3Pk
[2]Pasted from <http://soccerlens.com/shirts/can-football-boots-cause-injuries/>

Antonio Valencia, for example, was wearing a pair of Adidas boots while getting his injury. Every Adidas boot

has different stud configurations standard, which makes it hard to regulate. For example, youre likely to catch Messi wearing his Adidas F50 Adizero with a circular/hybrid stud configuration like this (Figure 1.0) :

Fig 1.0
Read more: http://soccerlens.com/shirts/can-football-boots-cause-injuries/7694/#ixzz1IalbYdAO
Pasted from <http://soccerlens.com/shirts/can-football-boots-cause-injuries/>

These days there is no standard for comparing or classifying the shoes in to appropriate stud/blade configuration. This hinders legislation or restrictions to be implemented on the use of footwear. It is proving to be a death trap for footballers from all levels of abilities. Former Liverpool player and current footwear designer Craig Johnston said: " People say that the boots dont provide enough protection. In fact the opposite is true. The problem is that the boots are so well made there is no give at all in the materials especially the cheaper synthetics.[3]

[3]Read more: http://soccerlens.com/shirts/are-todays-football-boots-too-safe/3449/#ixzz1IapJTQh5

Pasted from <http://soccerlens.com/shirts/are-todays-football-boots-too-safe/3449/>

Although there are brands (like Concave) (Figure 2.0)that claim their footwear reduce Metatarsal injuries of the foot.

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Figure 2.0
[4] Revolutionary Boot! The PT+FG Soccer Shoes by Concave UPPER: Premium kangaroo for comfort. Unique concealed lace system. Removable sockliner with high arch and TPE pads for a secure in-boot fit. Shank Balance Stabilizer in the midsole for forefoot and rear balance reducing the risk of metatarsal injury OUTSOLE: Light, two-part forefoot and rear TPU injected outsole WEIGHT: (11 oz.) Orders shipping outside the U.S. are subject to customs fees. BigToe.com guarantees this item. [4] Pasted from <http://www.bigtoe.com/shop-by-brand-other-brand-shoes-fg-soccer-cleats-concave-pt-fg-soccershoes--black-white-.html>

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Anatomy.
The skin and superficial muscle: The skin and muscle starting from the ankle and covering the foot is made up of two layers. The upper layer which is smooth, soft and has the capability of sliding on the underlying matrix of bones and blood supply. The denser, stronger muscle group which provides the holding "gel" to keep the veins, arteries and lymphatic supplies an also the bones. Referring to injury prevention the following points are of particular interest: The foot is particularly very well supplied with blood and lymph supply and drainage. In a relatively less amount of muscle a large number of bones and vessels are found. Figure 3.0 shows the main sheaths of muscles closest to the superficial skin layer which are most prone to injury due to high impact (Ball or other players) in the case of insufficient shielding from the shoe.

1. 2.

Fig 3.0

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The Bones
Although the bones of the foot are solid in structure (as apposed to the "softer collar bone"). The foot contains some of the thinnest and most vulnerable bones in the whole body. The most common foot injury (discussed in introduction) is/are the broken metatarsal bone(s). These are the bones that lie half way through the foot and join tarsus and phalanges (Other bones) see figure 4.0.

Fig 4.0

Muscle Injury The second most common injury of the foot due to inadequate footwear protection is the "sprained ankle" . This is a muscle injury in which one of the ligaments get over stretched or torn (Figure 5.0)

Other ankle injuries

The following injuries are much less common and can be dealt with relative ease by increasing the support etc achilles tendinitis ankle sprains chronic ankle pain peroneal pain (on the outside of the ankle) posterior tibial dysfunction (on the inside of the ankle) retro calcaneal bursitis (deep to the achilles)

Pasted from <http://www.sportspodiatry.co.uk/ankle_in dex_ankle.htm>

Fig 5.0

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All about metatarsal injuries.

The dreaded metatarsal curse has struck some of the Premiership's top footballers in recent years. Manchester United's Wayne Rooney fractured the base of his fourth metatarsal before his miraculous recovery for the 2006 World Cup. So what exactly are metatarsals, and how long do they take to heal?
WHAT?

Metatarsals are the five long bones in the forefoot which connect the ankle bones to those of the toes. The first is linked to the big toe and the fifth, on the outer foot, links to the little toe. The five metatarsals act as a unit to help share the load of the body, and they move position to cope with uneven ground. Injuries usually occur as a result of a direct blow onto the foot, a twisting injury or over-use.
WHO?

Rooney has broken his metatarsal two times but there are many players who have suffered. Others include Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Ashley Cole, Ledley King, David Nugent and Michael Owen. But damage and recovery time depends on the extent of damage and which of the five metatarsals is affected.
HOW?

The middle metatarsals - which are the longest and narrowest - are usually injured as a result of wear and tear (stress fractures).

W ill R ooney be fit for the W orld Cup?

In other words, it is caused by an ongoing process - and not one single occurrence. This is common with athletes, ballet dancers and soldiers. Impact (eg: someone stamping on your foot) and twisting can also result in fractures. The first, second and fifth metatarsals are the most commonly injured in sport. The first links to the big toe and is shorter and wider than the others. It is estimated this bears up to one third of the body weight.
SYMPTOMS

Pain in the bone during exercise, bruising, swelling and tenderness in the foot when weight bearing.
TREATMENT

Rest. The immediate response is a big "no" to all exercise and sport for 4-8 weeks. The patient may be asked to wear walking boots or stiff -soled shoes to protect the injury while it heals. If the cause is over-use, then treatment can vary hugely. Training habits, equipment used and athletic technique should all be investigated.
Guide to broken bones

With a bone fracture, the bone can often have a pin or screw inserted to speed up the recovery.
RECOVERY

It all depends on the damage and which metatarsal bone is involved. It is impossible to put a timescale on recovery from a stress injury.
RECOVERY TIMES

Michael Owen (2006): Fifth metatarsal - predicted 6-8 weeks returned 17 weeks later Wayne Rooney (2004): Fifth metatarsal - predicted 8 weeks returned 14 weeks later David Beckham (2002): Second metatarsal - predicted 6 weeks returned 7 weeks later Gary Neville (2002): Fifth metatarsal - predicted 6-8 weeks returned 21 weeks later Ashley Cole (2005): Fifth metatarsal - predicted 6-8 weeks returned 12 weeks later Scott Parker (2004): Second metatarsal - predicted 8 weeks returned 34 weeks later Danny Murphy (2002): Second metatarsal - predicted 6 weeks returned 21 weeks later Steven Gerrard (2004): Fifth metatarsal - predicted 6-8 weeks returned 10 weeks later

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Steven Gerrard (2004): Fifth metatarsal - predicted 6-8 weeks returned 10 weeks later

After initial rest, the training techniques or body mechanics may need minor tweaking or a major haul to avoid a repeat injury. With an impact fracture, after the plaster and protective boot is not needed (usually after 4-6 weeks), it will be a case of exercise and increasing weight -bearing activities. Ice packs, strapping and even the use of oxygen tents can be used to assist recovery. Full return to action can be anything from another four weeks and upwards - depending on the extent of initial damage. Young bones heal quicker. One factor that also helps is if the broken bone is one of the three inner metatarsals. As was the case with Rooney. This means that the fourth metatarsal is aided by the 'splint effect' of the bones on either side. Preston's David Nugent broke his fifth metatarsal in March 2006 and returned to action after being sidelined for just six weeks. His remedy? Drink plenty of milk.
WHY SO MANY INJURIES?

The breaking of a metatarsal seems to be increasingly common among England's top stars. There are many theories being put forward to explain why so many players have fallen foul over the last few years. Some believe it is the number of games played at the top level, some say training is more intensive, and others argue that training on artifical surfaces has a higher impact the body. Evolving designs of boots have also come into question. Many boots are now much lighter and more flexible, with a variety of new studs and blades available. Some suggest that players' feet are less protected and supported than a few years ago.
Pasted from <http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_and_fitness/4283136.stm>

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Conclusions
To conclude, most of the current footwear in the market lacks adequate protection and is focused only on enhancing the performance (high grip, low weight) . This means that the due concern to comfort, safety and protection is not given. High profile recent injuries at crucial times ( Rooney injured before world cup) and higher frequency of injuries due to problems like over grip are attracting professional attention. This is opening the market for better footwear protection as general consumer from recreational players to professionals are hungry for better footwear. One of the lines of thinking might be the development of a footwear protection and performance system that works by dynamically changing properties and biomaterials. This would mean using gels with elastic/peculiar viscosity properties and springs or damper systems together with natural materials from nature which could provide safe high performance. But this is just a raw idea and needs refinement.

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Presentation and Words Explanation

16 April 2011 16:47

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