Modifying football boots for injured player(s) or players with one leg longer than the other is not what we started out to do, but is now some of what we do for a number of AFL teams.
Injured footballers need to start their rehabilitaion as soon as possible, whether it be a midfoot, an Achillies or Hamstring type injury, the same princibles can be used to help get them out on the field as soon as possible withoutout causing more injures.
We modify football boots, by adding a 9mm heel elevation to the heel of the boot and tapering it to 0mm before the ball of the foot, putting less pressure on the Achilles and Hamstring muscle groups. This method is sometimes applied as a preventive measure at the first signs of heel pain or tightness in the leg.
Whilst some football players come out to see us, some clients are never seen by us.The football teams medical team, Physiotherapist or Podiatrists, send the boots in with a prescription for the modification. Most of these football boot modifications take about 7 days.
A fair amount of injuries, in our opinion, are caused by the lack of structure and support some football boots don't provide. The fact that most have no heel pitch or very little, goes further to loading these muscle groups the minute the football boot is put on.
Whilst the midfoot is offered very little support from the very light weight football boot, where weight reduction has been given priority over support, the looser is the football player.
(Above Insert) The boot on the right, fails at the midfoot, no football boot or shoe should buckle at this point.
Once we add the heel raise, the boot on the left, it also adds more structure to the midfoot meaning that the football boot now gives more support where needed
Not all football boots are suitable for this type of modification. When buying your football boots, keep in mind not to throw away the box and receipt, in case they need to be returned.
We have now added depth to this boot by extending the upper at the topline, the heel stiffener has been removed and replaced with longer, taller and stronger heel stiffener, this football boot will now take an internal orthosis or heel lift.
The height added can vary, this boot modification increased the sideds 20mm and the back 30mm and an extra eyelet added to the extention to complete the job.
For this modification it is best that we see the player for the correct measurements around the ankle and depth needed.
