Moez S Ballal1, Federico Giuseppe Usuelli2, Umberto Alfieri Montrasio2, Andy Molloy3, Luigi La Barbera4, Tomaso Villa4, Giuseppe Banfi2. 1. University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L7 9AL, UK. Electronic address: dr_moez@yahoo.co.uk. 2. CTS Piede e Caviglia, RCCS Galeazzi, 4 Zip 20100 Milan, Italy. 3. University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L7 9AL, UK. 4. Laboratory of Biological Structure, Mechanics Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano and IRCCS Galeazzi, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Sports people always strive to avoid injury. Sports shoe designs in many sports have been shown to affect traction and injury rates. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the differing stiffness and torque in rugby boots that are designed for the same effect. METHODS: Five different types of rugby shoes commonly worn by scrum forwards were laboratory tested for rotational stiffness and peak torque on a natural playing surface generating force patterns that would be consistent with a rugby scrum. RESULTS: The overall internal rotation peak torque was 57.75±6.26 Nm while that of external rotation was 56.55±4.36 Nm. The Peak internal and external rotational stiffness were 0.696±0.1 and 0.708±0.06 Nm/deg respectively. Our results, when compared to rotational stiffness and peak torques of football shoes published in the literature, show that shoes worn by rugby players exert higher rotational and peak torque stiffness compared to football shoes when tested on the same natural surfaces. There was significant difference between the tested rugby shoes brands. CONCLUSION: In our opinion, to maximize potential performance and lower the potential of non-contact injury, care should be taken in choosing boots with stiffness appropriate to the players main playing role.
OBJECTIVE: Sports people always strive to avoid injury. Sports shoe designs in many sports have been shown to affect traction and injury rates. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the differing stiffness and torque in rugby boots that are designed for the same effect. METHODS: Five different types of rugby shoes commonly worn by scrum forwards were laboratory tested for rotational stiffness and peak torque on a natural playing surface generating force patterns that would be consistent with a rugby scrum. RESULTS: The overall internal rotation peak torque was 57.75±6.26 Nm while that of external rotation was 56.55±4.36 Nm. The Peak internal and external rotational stiffness were 0.696±0.1 and 0.708±0.06 Nm/deg respectively. Our results, when compared to rotational stiffness and peak torques of football shoes published in the literature, show that shoes worn by rugby players exert higher rotational and peak torque stiffness compared to football shoes when tested on the same natural surfaces. There was significant difference between the tested rugby shoes brands. CONCLUSION: In our opinion, to maximize potential performance and lower the potential of non-contact injury, care should be taken in choosing boots with stiffness appropriate to the players main playing role.