Lack of impact moderating movement adaptation when soccer players perform game specific tasks on a third-generation artificial surface without a cushioning underlay

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to investigate how the inclusion of a cushioning underlay in a third-generation artificial turf (3G) affects player biomechanics during soccer-specific tasks. Twelve soccer players (9 males/3 females; 22.6 ± 2.3 y) participated in this study. Mechanical impact testing of each 3G surface; without (3G-NCU) and with cushioning underlay (3G-CU) were conducted. Impact force characteristics, joint kinematics and joint kinetics variables were calculated on each surface condition during a sprint 90° cut (90CUT), a sprint 180° cut (180CUT), a drop jump (DROP) and a sprint with quick deceleration (STOP). For all tasks, greater peak resultant force, peak knee extensor moment and peak ankle dorsi-flexion moment were found in 3G-NCU than 3G-CU (p < 0.05). During 90CUT and STOP, loading rates were higher in 3G-NCU than 3G-CU (p < 0.05). During 180CUT, higher hip, knee and ankle ranges of motion were found in 3G-NCU (p < 0.05). These findings showed that the inclusion of cushioning underlay in 3G reduces impact loading forces and lower limb joint loading in soccer players across game-specific tasks. Overall, players were not attempting to reduce higher lower limb impact loading associated with a lack of surface cushioning underlay.

KEYWORDS:

• 3G Surface
• force measurements
• kinematics
• kinetic
• soccer

Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank all soccer players who participated in this study for their understanding and dedication to the project. The authors also thank Josh Dorkins and Liam O’Hare from Liverpool John Moores University for their contribution in data collection and analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here

Additional information

Funding

GLB received a Grant FPU 2013 (FPU13/02111) from the ‘Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte’.