As a high-intensity contact sport, soccer matches at any level can lead to injuries. The fast-paced nature of the game can result in collisions and incidental kicks. Moreover, the constant cutting and sprinting players are required to perform can sometimes lead to non-contact injuries, such as ligament sprains.

Fortunately, football boot manufacturers understand the inherent risks involved in a football match. Their latest models are designed to balance performance with player safety, minimizing the risk of injury and maximizing each player’s ability to contribute on the pitch.

Common Football Injuries
Except in rare cases, football boots alone do not cause injuries. A player may be injured after getting spiked by an opponent’s cleat; however, this is much more about the aggressive tackler than the boots he or she is wearing.

Some of the most common football-related injuries include:

Ankle Sprain
One of the most common soccer injuries is an ankle sprain, which involves the tearing or stretching of the ligaments in the ankle. These injuries are commonly caused by an improper landing after a jump or overly aggressive slide tackles.

Metatarsal Fracture
Metatarsal fractures occur when players break a bone in their foot. Overuse can lead to a stress fracture. Trauma, like a player accidentally stepping on the foot, can also cause a fracture. Modern lightweight boots provide less protection from these types of injuries than older, Kangaroo leather-styled models, though in actual effect this difference is mainly negligible.

Knee Ligament Sprain
There are a variety of ligaments in the knee that can be injured during a soccer match. The most common is the ACL, which can be injured by twisting a planted foot. The MCL, PCL, or LCL can be injured in a collision with another player.

Football Boot Safety Features
The modern football boot is designed with performance and comfort in mind. Older football boots were heavier, but provided more protection against metatarsal injuries and more support for the ankle.

Still, with players looking to gain any possible edge on the pitch, it is important to wear the boots that allow you to play your best. Boot manufacturers understand this and have begun to integrate safety features in their newest models.

Some of the most common safety features in modern football boots include:

Customizable Cleat Styles
One of the best ways to prevent knee injuries is to ensure your cleat style is suitable for your playing surface, preventing the cleat from catching and putting your knee in an awkward position. Nike offers five different cleat styles, including firm ground, multi-ground, turf, indoor, and artificial grass.

The most famous Nike football cleat models – including the Nike Mercurial Vapor and the Nike Mercurial Superfly – are designed in the firm ground style, but high-quality models are available in each cleat form.

Cushioned Midsole
The midsole portion of a soccer cleat is responsible for protecting the player’s feet. Most high-end soccer boots – including Nike, adidas, and Puma soccer cleats – feature a lightweight midsole that provides ample cushioning. This can prevent metatarsal fractures and other lower-body overuse injuries.

Protective Collar
A cleat’s collar is the portion that supports the player’s ankle. There are a variety of collar styles available, including low, mid, and high-cut; the high-cut varieties provide the greatest level of ankle support and can help prevent ankle sprains.

While the majority of models are now manufactured in the low-cut style, there are high-cut Puma, Nike, and adidas football boots available for players who desire extra ankle support.

To sum up – the modern high-tech soccer shoe is built to give you peak performance on the pitch. Manufacturers constantly tweak and improve small design elements to squeeze just that extra bit of speed, agility, and accuracy out of your game. The trade-off is that these aren’t heavy-duty workman’s boots – there is some susceptibility to injury. However, boot makers continue to address this in many ways, especially with cleats that are designed not to stick in the turf, which significantly lowers the likelihood of an ankle or knee twist.

Looking for the perfect football cleat or your favorite footballer’s jersey? SoccerPro has you covered.