How does playing on an artificial grass surface cause more non-contact sports injuries than playing on real grass surfaces?
In: 18
Turf doesn’t give like real grass does. Cleats get caught up more easily than real grass. where the grass would rip away the turf will hold onto the foot leading to more hyperextensions and stress injuries like knee ligament tears and Achilles tears.
Turf is also firmer than grass so there is a higher incidence of strain injuries like calf strains, shin splints, turf toe, etc.
I’m not sure if there is actual data to back all this up, but that is the widely believed case.
Edit: turns out there is some data https://sports.yahoo.com/nflpa-says-new-data-shows-turf-fields-still-cause-more-injuries-than-natural-surfaces-171352790.html
Artificial turf’s more unforgiving than natural grass, leading to higher injury rates. Hey, so I actually did some research on this for a sports science class last year. Artificial grass is made of synthetic materials, usually with rubber crumb infill. The surface is harder and less forgiving than natural grass, which means there’s more stress on your joints, especially your knees and ankles. It also has a higher coefficient of friction, making it grippier. That might sound good, but it can make quick pivots or sudden stops more dangerous because your foot can stick, leading to sprains and such.
Temperature’s another thing. Artificial turf gets hotter than natural grass, particularly in the sun. That means you’re more likely to get fatigued and dehydrated, which can also contribute to injuries.
Also, some people say that because artificial grass is so even and consistent, players might get too comfortable and take risks they wouldn’t on uneven natural grass. That’s more speculative though.
So yeah, it’s not just in your head—there’s real science backing the idea that artificial turf can be more risky in terms of injuries.
Having played on turf, let me tell you… it’s brutal. It looks nice but is scorchingly hot. Your feet burn just by standing on it, and the little bits of rubber in it leads to some nasty friction burns if you slide through it.
Ex-marching band geek here.
The turf does not give as much as grass/dirt and **has a lot more traction**. Great if you’re running sprints. But terrible if you have to pivot on a foot while turning or if you’re falling and sliding on it. This is true of sports, all the way down to simply turning on one foot while marching.
I’m not sure that it does. I know a lot of athletes & fans disagree and hate turf, but every decent study I’ve ever seen shows minimal/negligible difference vs real grass. There are thousands of pro games/year, it shouldn’t be hard to quantify injuries per game for both field types.
on a dirt and grass field, the dirt and grass will often give before a tendon does.
Turf generally does not. So things get pulled or pushed further/harder than they would on grass.
this is really like you are five, but think of how much softer it is to fall on a muddy field than a dry grass field. There is so much more give. Thats kind of what its like to fall on a turf field instead of grass – there not the same amount of give and it hurts more to fall on turf. Turf burn is also no joke
Also, not your question, but I detest turf because of how much better grass is for the environment/erosion etc. no roots to keep the dirt there, the turf absorbs heat and heats up the general area, no environment for smaller organism, and plants clean the air and produce carbon dioxide.
Friction. Pretend you’re squishing a bug with your foot in some grass. You’ll apply a lot of pressure, and your foot will slide in a circular motion in the dirt and grass. Now try that on a rubber mat. You’re foot won’t spin because it’s gripping the rubber. If you apply the same amount of force to the motion as you did on the grass, the mat’s not giving; something in your leg is. In football, there is all sorts of contact between the ground and the feet with lots of changes in direction. You don’t want the ground *too* slippery, but a little bit of give is ideal. So far, artificial turf makers have not produced a material that is good as a natural field. Imagine playing football on carpet vs grass.
Not all artificial turf is the same. Not all natural turf is the same. This question is debatable.
Latest Answers