The Three Basic Principals of Selecting New Soccer Shoes

Soccer is a game of finesse and conditioning that is played with your feet. After playing soccer for 25 years, I found that there are three basic principals you need to know and follow when selecting new soccer shoes and to avoid injury to your feet. Those who play soccer know how to avoid injury to their feet and always keep in mind whether or not they should buy artificial turf soccer shoes or soccer shoes for traditional grass fields. I will show you the three basic principals in this article that will help you keep your feet in good health and to avoid injury.

Avoid Injury and know the Size and Width of Your Feet

The size and width of your feet will play a major factor in the decision process when purchasing new soccer shoes. As with any shoe, you will need to properly have your foot sized and fitted to ensure comfort and to avoid injury or pain to your feet. Your feet need to feel comfortable and not extremely cramped when you wear your new soccer shoes. Soccer shoes by design are made to fit snug and not cramped, thus helping you to avoid injury immediately. Next, your toes should also rest beside each other and not on top of one another. To avoid injury to your feet, listed below are some key points to Fitting and Measurement taken from the Buyer's Guide on http://www.dickssportinggoods.com:

Fit Tips:

1) Shoes that are too small are one of the major causes of foot pain and problems.

2) Shoes that are too large can cause blistering and a lack of stability.

3) Don't assume your shoe size is the same as it always has been.

4) The shape of your feet changes over time.

5) Not all brands of footwear fit the same.

Measurement Tips:

1) Take your measurements at the end of the day, when your feet are the largest as this will help to avoid injury.

2) Wear the socks you'll wear with your new soccer shoes when you measure

3) Measure both feet and fit shoes to the larger foot

4) If you are doing the measurement by yourself, you will get more accurate results if you sit in a chair when measuring. Don't stand.

5) If you have someone to help you take your foot measurement, standing is the best choice

6) You may take measurements in inches or centimeters. To convert inches to centimeters, multiply inches by 2.54.

Type of Surface's you will be Playing on and Selecting New Soccer Shoes

The different type of surfaces you will be playing on should always be kept in mind when thinking about how to avoid injury and selecting new soccer shoes. If you are playing on traditional artificial turf, then you will want to select artificial turf soccer shoes that are specifically designed for playing on that surface. Athletes will sometimes use the wrong type of shoe for the wrong surface. This is not the proper way to avoid injury and will also cause unnecessary pain to your feet. When playing on synthetic turf that has long grass then you have more flexibility on which type of new soccer shoe you should select. The synthetic long grass allows you to use turf soccer shoes with either raised rubber patterns or traditional molded cleats or studs. In order to avoid injury while playing on artificial carpet turf, then you want new soccer shoes that have a flat rubber surface or raised rubber pattern. This will ensure the proper level of comfort and traction to this type of surface.

The Materials Used when Developing New Soccer Shoes

Soccer shoes are generally made of two different types of materials. These materials include leather and synthetic leather. You also will want to keep in mind when selecting your new soccer shoes what type of weather you will be playing in. The reason for this is that both materials react differently in different types of weather. To help avoid injury to your feet listed below are some of the characteristics of leather and synthetic leather taken from the Buyer's Guide on http://www.dickssportinggoods.com:

Leather:

1) Offer the best feel and fit of any soccer shoe, but are also generally more expensive. Full-grain leather shoes are strong and durable, while variations such as Kangaroo leather are more flexible and offer an even better feel.

2) The softer the leather, the better the feel for the ball, but also the less durable the shoe. Leather absorbs more water than synthetic shoes and not recommended for constant use on wet fields; however, water treatment options are available.

Synthetic

1) Ideal for most entry and mid-level players.

2) Generally less expensive than leather shoes, but do not offer as good a feel and do not last as long as a well-cared for leather boot.

3) Generally contain some sort of water treatment and therefore last better under poor playing conditions.

4) Easier to clean and dry out than leather shoes.

Three High-Profile Brands of Soccer Shoes

Below are listed three high-profile brands of soccer shoes used around the world today. You can find new soccer shoes with any of these brands at most athletic department stores. Choosing any of the soccer shoes will help keep your feet healthy and help you as an athlete to avoid injury. Visit any of the websites listed in this article to help you in your search for new soccer shoes.

1) Adidas: Founded in the 1920's by Adi Dassier. Adi followed three guiding principles in his development work, driven by his passion for sports and shoemaking: To produce the best shoe to serve the needs of the sport. To help the athlete avoid injury, and to make the product durable.http://www.adidas.com/us/shared/aboutadidas.asp

2) Nike: While Nike had designed footwear and apparel for golf and soccer for a number of years, the mid-1990s signaled a deepening commitment to truly excel in these sports. In 1994, Nike signed several individual players from what would be the World Cup-winning Brazilian National Team. In 1995, Nike signed the entire team, and began designing the team's distinctive uniform. Nike also signed the US men's and women's national soccer teams and dozens of national teams around the world. http://www.nikebiz.com/company_overview/history/1990s.html

3) Puma: In the 1930's Puma's brand was competing at the Berlin Olympic Games, American hero Jesse Owens wins four Gold medals wearing Dassler shoes. During the Games, almost every member of the German Football team wears Dassler shoes. In total there are seven Gold and five Bronze medal winners. Additionally, athletes wearing Dassler shoes shatter two world and three Olympic records.http://about.puma.com/EN/1/10/10/

You should be able to ask any sales associate at the athletic store you shop at to help assist you with further questions regarding the best shoe for the environment you are playing in. You can also visit http://www.worldsoccershop.com/shoes-information.html for more information about the materials used to develop new soccer shoes. World Soccer Shop carries multiple brands for artificial turf soccer shoes and traditional grass soccer shoes. You should always take care of your feet to avoid injury if you want to succeed in the game of Soccer. Once you visit both websites shown in this article you will be able to make a good sound decision when purchasing your new soccer shoes as well as avoid injury to your feet after your selection has been made.