Biomechanical analysis of running on third generation artificial soccer turf.

The aim of this study was to compare the human-surface interaction during running on artificial soccer turf pitches. For this purpose a biomechanical analysis (kinetics and kinematies) was performed on twenty soccer players while they ran at three different speeds across a 25 meter long track covered with a third generation artificial soccer turf. A total of three different pitches, two fifa 1 star and one fifa 2 star, were examined. There was no difference between the two 1 star systems in the peak vertical and horizontal ground reactions forces and leg stiffness. Data on the 2 star system was equivocal due to a too small sample size. It is concluded that biomechanical testing aids the development of an optimal soccer pitch.keywordsground reaction forcesoccer playerforce platformbiomechanical analysisvertical stiffnessthese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.