Tailoring Sporting

Footwear - AFL

Tailoring Sporting Footwear - AFL

1.What are the requirements of Footwear

2. Why & How we modify footwear

3. Aussie Rules – requirements

4. Basic Footwear Modifications

5. AFL Boots Focus – sole plate, studs & position

6. Advanced Footwear Modifications

Background

• Graduated Bachelor Podiatry 1998 La Trobe university

• Practicing Podiatrist with a Sports Interest

• Currently my role as a Podiatrist is across 3 sites

North Melbourne Football Club - Podiatrist

The Victorian Podiatry Group – Director & Senior Clinician

Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre – Senior Clinician

• Played 13 years AFL - 192 Games Professional football for Melbourne &

Richmond Football clubs

Footwear?●Protection

●Grip / Traction

●Cushioning

●Skill Execution

What to Look for in Sporting Footwear

●Specificity

●Durability

●Proprioception

●Flexibility v Stiffness

COMFORT

AFL Requirements Player

• Endurance / Balance / Agility / Skill Execution/ speed

• Distance – Midfielder 13km (rotations) / Tall fwd 15km (game time)

Environment

• Surface, 360o contact

Why Modify Footwear?

• Injury

• Protection

• Load Management

• Surface & Sport Specific

• Improved Fit

• Style / Sponsorship

How Do We Modify Footwear?

• Basic

• Advanced

Lacing Techniques

Injuries

• Dorsal exostosis

• Wide Forefoot

• Nerve Compression Neuroma / P&N

• Narrow Heel

Footwear Type

• Conditioning Sessions – Runner

• Preseason Skills – hybrid boot / Trail Runner

• In season – traditional boot

Trail runners v Runners

TRAIL RUNNER

• Stronger outersole, better for side to side activity

• Same level of cushion as runners

• Mesh tighter weave/more durable for kicking

• Aggressive tread better traction/ grip

RUNNER

• Tend to be lighter

• More breathable

• More options in styles and sizes/widths

• High level of cushion better for running

• Less lateral support

Boots v Runners

Evolution of Football Boots Captain Cook

1960s 1980’s

199020102018

Plantar Pressures

• In-shoe boot plantar pressure (Wong et al.

(2006))

• Low Heel Height - Increased Posterior

Stress

Sole Plate ●Studs / Conical Combination

Grip & Release / Comfort Increased Traction/ High Grip

Blades

Combination

Types of Football Boots

PROTECTION/ SUPPORT

Full length cushion midsole

Heel height more like runner 10mm higher pitch

Cushioned heel counter and cup

Removable liner if needed for orthotic fit

Deeper and wider fit

Bigger / Heavy Players

PERFORMANCE/ SPEED

Lower heel height - takes adjusting

Less cushion in base

More aggressive fit - narrower and tighter

Shallower fit, not as easy to fit an orthotic if

needed

Liner not usually removable

Lighter / Quicker Players

Advanced Footwear Modifications

●Heel Lifts / HG10mm - Calf/ Achilles/ Heel

●Heel Counter - Haglunds / Blisters / Bursitis

●Stud reduction AFL 8-14mm – sesamoid

●Internal Cushioning/ Turf Boot training - Fat Pad

External/Internal Heel Lifts

Modification

• Midsole Raised 10mm EVA Wedge

• HG 10mm –Asics / Tailored

• Rear foot Gel / Poron / EVA Lift

Injuries

• Calf/ Achilles/ Heel / LLD

• Cushion & Comfort

• Fat Pad

Plantar Pressures

Hennig & Sterzing 2010

Soft Insoles

Modification

• Slim fit device

• Lower profile insole

• Cut to shoe last

Injury

• Blisters medial Arch

• In boot instability

Heel Counter

Modification

• Clutch Collar

• Grind Plastic heel Cup

• Soft Heel Counter / Padding

Injury

• Haglunds

• Achilles

• Bony prominence/ Post Sx

Sesamoid Injury

Modification

• Donut poron, felt, foam

• Winged Padding

• Stud grinding

Injury

• Sesamoid

• Bunion / Bony Prominence

In Shoe Padding

Modification

• Metatarsal Dome / Bar

• 1st MPJ cut out / PMPs

• Arch Fill

Injury

• Neuroma

• Sesamoid

• Corns

Orthotics and boots

• Athlete dependent, also injury/risk

dependent

• Can be made very low bulk and fit easily

• Boots with removable liner & deeper heel

cup

• Training use compared to game day use

• Preseason use in runners, no issues with fit

• Devices to soften or stiffen

What else can be done?

●Foot Strength Development

Australian Ballet Wheat Bins

Take Home Message ●Don’t be afraid to use different footwear – pre-season / training / games

●Be aware of what’s required of footwear specific to time of season & own

individuals foot health

●Choose boots/ footwear for foot in-front of you NOT Buddy Franklins/ Ronaldo

●Experiment at training first

●Get the feet strong – need consistent work like every other part of the body

Podiatry Affiliations

Contact details:

ben@thefootexperts.com.au

References:Pui-lam Wong, Karim Chamari, De Wei Mao, Urik Wisloff, Youlin Hong; BJ Sports Med 2007:41:93-100.doi11.1136/bjsm

Hennig Ewald, Thorsten Sterzing, Clemens Muller, Thomas L.Milani, Footwear Science Vol 1. No.1 March 2009

Hennig, E.M. and Milani, T.L, 1996. Testmethoden zur Beurteilung von Laufschuhen. Dynamed, 1 (1), 33–35.

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