Soccer Injuries: Does the Surface You Play On Truly Have an Effect?

Across all demographics of soccer athletes, there is an ongoing perception that artificial turf imposes a greater injury risk when compared to natural grass. But is there truly a difference between the two surface types?

What do the players think?

There is one key factor that may not be considered when looking at soccer injuries: the mental aspect. One study asked athletes their opinions on surface types and injury rates. A majority of the players agreed, holding the perception that turf is more likely to increase injury risk. Reasons why included:

• Artificial turf fields have a higher surface hardness, impact, and surface friction.
• Players have received a higher rate of traumatic injuries on turf
• Players feel as if they will get "stuck" in the turf as it cannot dig up like grass can. 

The mental aspects of injury can have a major effect on how a player chooses to play on different surface types. For the reasons listed above, players mentioned that they feel "mentally scared" or "hesitant to play full out" on turf. By changing the way they play out of fear of injury, will that in itself increase injury rates? 

The Truth:

Soccer players: fear not! Across all demographics (age, gender, competition level), the overall injury rate does not differ significantly between artificial turf and natural grass. This indicates that the playing surface itself may not substantially impact injury rates. Instead, injury rates may be influenced by a variety of different factors that extend beyond surface type alone.

For specific injury subcategories, some studies find no significant difference, while others may find significantly higher rates on turf or grass. For example, there have been mixed findings on foot and ankle injuries, with some studies reporting higher rates on turf and others on grass.

Stepping onto the field...

Don't hesitate! To the clinicians, trainers, coaches, and athletes, it is important to learn and understand that players will not experience a higher likelihood of injury while playing on a turf field. Knowing this will help to alleviate any hesitations players may have, especially those who may have experienced traumatic injuries that have them mentally scared.

One consideration for soccer athletes experiencing joint or muscle soreness or injuries is the increased surface hardness, impact, and surface friction that may be experienced on turf. These factors may negatively impact recovery times. If a player would like to decrease their recovery time, consider not allowing them to train on turf. 

Research in Effect:

Penn State has performed great research into improving all sports surfaces. They even have a Turfgrass Science Major! This major allows students to master the science and business of golf courses, sports fields, parks, estates, and other related industries, making immediate positive impacts on safety and playability. To learn more, you can navigate their website here.

If you would like to read more on the research on this topic, you can do so on this blog post here. 

About the Author:

Delaney Parker is a senior at Westfield State University, majoring in Movement Science with a concentration in Sports Medicine. Delaney has played soccer throughout her life and continued her athletic career into college. As a student-athlete, she is a four-year member of the women’s soccer team and a two-year member of the track and field team. She aspires to attend graduate school to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). 

She can be reached at delaneylee19@gmail.com 

References

Center for Turfgrass Science. (2015). Department of Plant Science. https://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/turf

Poulos, C. C., Gallucci, J., Jr, Gage, W. H., Baker, J., Buitrago, S., & Macpherson, A. K. (2014). The perceptions of professional soccer players on the risk of injury from competition and training on natural grass and 3rd generation artificial turf. BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 6(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-1847-6-11

Turf and Injuries: The Data Hurts. (2019, January 14). American Soccer Analysis. https://www.americansocceranalysis.com/home/2019/1/7/turf-and-injuries-the-data-hurts