When it comes to dangerous things in this world, many would first think of weapons such as knives, guns and an angrily thrown Xbox controller. Few would suggest football boots – apart from maybe David Beckham following that infamous moment where Fergie kicked a boot above the Englishman’s eye.
But can certain boots prevent, or more importantly, cause injury, and can they even be dangerous?
Are football boots dangerous?
A brief history of football boots
A brief history of football boots
Football as we know it today originated in the mid-1800s. It was primarily a working-class sport, with many industrial companies establishing their own side. As a result, working boots with steel caps were the first type of footwear used in football. These were heavy and of course very dangerous, with the steel ends exerting immense pain during contact.
For the first half of the 20th century, boots began to be tailored more towards benefitting a player through specific design. However, they were far from the practical, purpose-made models we see today.
In the 1970s, boots began to take a multicoloured form. Until then, players had the choice of black or white. Boots were also far lighter and allowed a lot more for speed and agility. The next decade saw comfort being the next issue addressed, with leather being used for the latest models.
The 90s saw endorsements and boots sponsorship come into play. Also, iconic models such as Adidas’ Predators were born. Then the turn of the century came, and with it new stud types and formations, boots soles and designs were introduced.
Nowadays, football boots offer comfort, agility, speed, control, stability and power all in one through the various different features that are included.
Can football boots cause injury?
Can football boots cause injury?
The answer to this is a resounding: yes, football boots can cause injury. Be it to other players or yourself, if incorrect choices are made they can be potentially harmful.
Firstly, selecting the correct size for your boots is crucial as comfort and size of boots are directly related. If boots are too small this could easily cause minor injury in the form of blisters and rubbing. Obviously, there are more severe injuries around than a little blister, but they can be painful and also could prevent you from even playing.
Secondly, if there’s no ‘wiggle room’ you’re effectively exposed. Imagine if your toes are cramped right up to the very end of the boot, and even crumpled slightly. Any contact to the end of your boot, say a stud on the toes or even kicking the ball, will be excruciatingly painful. There should be a few millimetres gap between the boot and your toes, and this acts as a buffer zone. It absorbs the impact of the ball or other players’ boots and ensures that less pressure is felt on the toes.
Make sure you have correctly-fitted boots people! It’s very important.
Can football boots prevent injury?
Yes, football boots can prevent injury. Or perhaps more significantly, the correct type of boots can help to prevent injury.
Some boots are, shall we say ‘more flimsy’ than others. That’s no design flaw. It’s simply due to some models being designed for other aspects of the game such as speed and acceleration, as opposed to being robust.
If you are a defender or maybe one of those Kante-esque midfielders who loves a challenge, a stronger pair of boots is needed. Something like the Umbro Speciali Eternal, which offers strength and stability. When you know you’re going into battle it makes sense to ‘tool up’ accordingly.
Can football boots be dangerous?
Can football boots be dangerous to wear?
Football boots aren’t going to run up behind you in an alleyway and steal your wallet. Equally, there have been no significant reports of swarms of football boot attacks in any areas. However, football boots can be dangerous.
First of all, the type of ground and stud you’re wearing matters a whole lot. If you are wearing FG boots on wet grass in the winter, you will be in danger. You’ll be sliding around like a three-legged giraffe on an ice rink. The danger comes from having no control when, say, tackling or shooting. Your standing foot will provide no stability.
Talking about stability, that is another aspect of boots that if got wrong, can be dangerous. If you do have SG boots, but studs are missing or perhaps they’re old boots that have worn away and now consequently provide less stability, this again could be highly dangerous.
Try to find boots that have the new lock-in technology. They solidify the boot to your foot and ensure that movement of the foot inside the boot does not occur, while still allowing for flexibility. Something like the Nike Hypervenom Phantoms is an example of this.
