Football boots bring pain and no gain for female players, survey finds

More than 80 percent of female footballers at leading European teams know the boots they put on for a training session or match will cause them pain, research carried out for the European Club Association (ECA) has found.

A survey has found that 82 percent of female footballers in Europe experience discomfort wearing football boots. © AFP - JUSTIN TALLIS

A survey of 350 players at 16 sides, including the French team Lyon and Ajax in the Netherlands, was carried out over 18 months and presented this week at the ECA's women's football summit in London.

It found that 82 percent felt discomfort that could affect their performance, while a fifth said they customised their boots in an attempt to avoid too much pain.

Working with medics at Aspetar in Doha and academics in London, the ECA's high performance advisory group oversaw the survey, which included findings from Katrine Kryger, an associate professor in sports rehabilitation at St Mary's University in London.

Kryger identified that women's feet differ in a number of ways to men's feet – the first metatarsal is longer and at a different angle. The fifth metatarsal is closer to the others and women have a wider forefoot, a higher arch and have a greater ankle circumference.

ECA is leading positive change and innovation in women's football through investing in ground-breaking research transformative potential of well-designed and tailored women's football footwear to enhance player performance and injury management. Whilst only the first phase of… pic.twitter.com/m4gDXq6lCV

— ECA (@ECAEurope) June 26, 2023

The findings showed that 34 percent of female players reported discomfort specifically in their heel – an area on a football boot where there is usually less padding.

Many used special insoles provided by podiatrists and some players needed to cut holes in their boots to avoid persistent rubbing and blisters.

The research used technology such as 3D scans to analyse the shape and movement of feet. Players were also asked what they were doing to circumnavigate the problems.

Race a factor

The ECA found that heel discomfort was significantly higher among black players compared with white footballers.

"Whilst only the first phase of research, we are committed to exploring the topic further," an ECA spokesperson said.

The study is subject to independent peer review but the aim will be for it to appear in leading scientific journals and provide sufficient heft for player associations and campaigners to convince manufacturers to cater specifically for female players.

According to the latest surveys from world football's governing body Fifa, 29 million women and girls play football.

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Fifa bosses want that figure to double within three years. And they have underscored their ambition by expanding making the impending women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand to a 32-team event.

The inaugural tournament, which was held in China in 1991, involved 12 teams. Four more nations were added for the 1999 competition in the United States and then it progressed to 24 in 2015 in Canada.

“The expansion reaches far beyond the eight additional participating teams," said Fifa boss Gianni Infantino.

"It means that, from now on, dozens more member associations will organise their women’s football programme knowing they have a realistic chance of qualifying," he said.

"The women’s World Cup is the most powerful trigger for the professionalisation of the women’s game but it comes but once every four years and is only the top of a much greater pyramid."