Mechanical and biomechanical cushioning of a corked-based synthetic turf surface compared with natural turf and rubber crumb surfaces

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

Although synthetic turf surfaces with rubber infill are popular as an alternative to natural turf, with properties that facilitate year-round and extensive use, there have been concerns raised regarding the impact of rubber crumb, a microplastic, being leaked into the environment. Cork infill has been identified as a possible organic alternative to rubber crumb, reducing environmental impact and also having advantages of low heat absorption and high durability. However the influence of cork infill surfaces on player biomechanics is not well understood. In particular, surface cushioning due to a change in infill may influence injury risk when playing sport on these surfaces. Biomechanical field-based testing of surface cushioning or shock absorption can be performed using in-shoe pressure, providing loads at specific areas of the plantar suface of the foot. There has been a particular interest in loading at the lateral forefoot, owing to fifth metatarsal stress fractures being common in multidirectional sports such as soccer [3]. In addition, quantification of loading at the heel is of relevance due to high loads on this area during sport-specific movements, suggested to be associated with injury risk [4]. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate whether there were any differences in peak plantar pressures at the medial and lateral heel and the lateral forefoot for a cork-infill surface, compared with natural turf and rubber crumb surfaces