Football is a fast-paced sport. As much adrenaline as it gives viewers and players, the sport also involves body contact, enormous friction, and rapid movements—all of which demand high-performance surfaces. From tackles to sprints, the playing surface must be designed to assure shock absorption, optimal grip and player safety. The best football turf for schools is especially important to keep young footballers performing at their best. Even for professional play, a top-quality football turf for professional fields is critical for minimizing the risk of injury, ensuring that athletes can play at their best while reducing fatigue and strain.
The key element for all safety is a football turf with shock absorption. If we go beneath the surface of superior football turf, you’ll notice that high-quality football turf suppliers always install turfs with state-of-the-art shock pads. Let’s discuss this in detail.
The Rising Use of Shock Pads in Football Turfs
Artificial turf is no longer limited to training grounds or secondary arenas. As of 2023, around 40% of FIFA-sanctioned fields use artificial turf. These numbers reflect the global shift toward synthetic surfaces due to their durability and low maintenance. However, concerns regarding player safety on artificial surfaces have also emerged with this rise. Thus, a cushioning layer called a shock pad is installed beneath the grass of a football turf. It is typically made from high-performance foam or elastomers and is engineered to reduce the impact forces experienced during play. This layer acts as a buffer between the turf and the underlying hard surface (usually concrete or compacted earth), helping to mitigate the impact of falls, slides, and tackles.
The key function of shock pads is to absorb and distribute kinetic energy, thus reducing the forces transmitted to players’ bodies during high-intensity matches. Doing so enhances safety while maintaining the feel of natural grass underfoot.
How Do Shock Pads Work?
Shock pads are designed to absorb a certain percentage of the impact force. Other ways it works are:
Energy restitution: While absorbing shock is essential, not all energy should be dissipated. Energy restitution refers to how much energy is returned to the player. A well-balanced shock pad ensures that enough energy is returned to support player movements like running, jumping, and kicking, without causing unnecessary strain on their legs.
Vertical deformation: This refers to how much the surface compresses underfoot. A good shock pad ensures a controlled level of deformation, mimicking the feel of natural grass while avoiding the “hard” feel that can cause discomfort or injury during long-duration matches.
The Role of Shock Pads in Football Turf Safety
Player safety is paramount in football. With the game involving frequent running, sharp directional changes, and tackles, the turf must be resilient yet forgiving. Shock pads play an integral role in minimizing the risk of injuries in the following ways:
Reduced impact on joints and bones: According to a study by FIFA, using shock pads can reduce the likelihood of non-contact injuries such as ankle sprains by up to 25%. Shock pads help reduce the sudden forces that players experience when landing after jumps or during tackles. The cushioning reduces the overall strain on joints, decreasing the chance of long-term damage.
Concussion prevention: Head injuries and concussions are a growing concern in football. Shock pads significantly reduce the G-max, a measure of the maximum deceleration experienced by an object (or a player’s head) during impact.
Temperature control: Shock pads can act as an insulating layer, reducing the heat that reaches the playing surface and keeping the turf cooler during matches. This not only improves player comfort but can also prevent injuries related to overheating, such as heatstroke and muscle fatigue.
Gallant Sports Goes Beneath the Football Surface: No Shocks, Only Shock Pads!
As high-quality football turf suppliers, Gallant Sports specializes in football turf for professional fields as well as the best football turf for schools – all with innovations in shock pad technology. We partner with leading companies in the artificial turf industry to integrate dynamic systems that adjust their shock absorption and energy restitution rates depending on the play intensity.
Our football turf installation services in India aim to go beneath the surface so that the shock pads never cause any shock to the players. Let’s prep Indian football players for a global stage!
