As the football season begins most participants will be ready for a new pair of boots.  As usual, they will influence the decision based of the pair that look the best, are worn by their favourite player, or seem to be the trend of the time.  None of these are sound reasons to choose a particular boot.  As a parent you want the boot that will be best supportive and most appropriate for your child.  But how do we determine this.

The football boot market is heavily influenced by the bigger participation sports in the world.  Mainly soccer and NFL.  The participation rates of these sports are many times greater than AFL and the rugby codes.  The companies that make sporting apparel such as football boots are among some of the biggest corporate brands in the world.  The athletic demands of sports are different, and we need to be aware of.

There is a tendency, particularly in soccer, to have a close fitting boot.  This can be advantageous for ‘feel’ and performance, but can have negative implications for foot posture and injury.

Some boots are very poor in their supportive components.  They can easily bend in the sole or twist on their axis.  These boots tend to offer little support to the foot and do not assist in controlling foot movement.  As we know, this can have implications for the rest of the lower limb when running.  This will have more serious implications in people who have issues with increased pronation or ‘flat feet’. In others it will have little impact.  For people who wear an orthotic, it is very important to purchase a boot that will accommodate the orthotic and feel comfortable.

Other factors that will influence the type of boot are how much running the player completes when playing or training.  Any previous injuries they have sustained and any other physical limitations of the player (such as decreased ankle range of movement).

General recommendations are difficult to make broadly as there are so many variables between individuals.  Be sure to talk to any health professional you may have been consulting to assist you in determining the most appropriate footwear.

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