FAQ 02 Player Safety

More in this section

• Teamwork
• ESG Criteria
• Safe Grounds
• Ecological Transition
• Benefit Activities
• FAQ 01 Issues in Fields
• FAQ 02 Player Safety
• FAQ 03 The Risks of Rubber
• FAQ 04 Zinc in Rubber
• FAQ 05 Advice to Players
• FAQ 06 How does POWERgrass solve?
• FAQ 07 Sports Fields Standards
• FAQ 08 Hours of play per week
• FAQ 09 Cost-Benefit Analysis
• FAQ 10 Regular vs Extraordinary
• FAQ 11 The Challenges of Sports Fields
• FAQ 12 Environmental standards and the field
• FAQ 13 Meaning of Sustainable Fields
• FAQ 14 Fields and Greenwashing

What are the safety and health concerns for players associated with artificial turf fields?

The use of artificial turf fields has become increasingly common in many sports, including football, rugby, and field hockey. However, there are concerns about the safety and health of players who use these fields.

Player Safety

In recent years, players have been constantly complaining about safety on synthetic fields; the most famous ones flatly refuse to play on synthetic turfs but the industry tends to downplay this, attributing the problem to the players' habits.

One of the main concerns is injuries. Some studies suggest that artificial grass can increase the risk of injuries to anterior cruciate ligaments and other knee injuries.

Furthermore, the playing surface of an artificial grass field can be harder than natural grass, which can lead to an increase in bruises and skin abrasions.

Another aspect concerns the grip of the cleats on the surface because, in some cases it is lower than on a natural field so players lose stability and feel burning in the muscles that work harder to compensate. In other cases, when the fibers are laid and dry on the surface on sunny days the grip of the cleats on the surface can be excessive and when it's hot, it's not possible to mitigate even with irrigation.

Demonstrating the causes of the playing field and the effect it has on player safety is very complex but we can certainly say the same for early muscle fatigue. On sunny days when the air temperature exceeds 26°C the temperature measured on the surface is much higher and the approach of summer exceeds 60°C. The radiation in the air of the heat accumulated in the synthetic grass during the day contributes in a significant and unequivocal way to the heat island day and night.

It is important to note that fatigue and tiredness are two different conditions. Exercise-induced fatigue is a involuntary decrease in the ability of muscles to produce strength or a powerful contraction, while tiredness is mainly based on lifestyle andIt's important to note that fatigue and tiredness are two different conditions. Exercise-induced fatigue is an involuntary decrease in the muscles' ability to produce strength or a powerful contraction, while tiredness is more lifestyle-based and can be influenced by factors such as sleep disruption, poor diet, dehydration, stress, and overall fitness level.Safety during play on natural grass fields is often linked to the grass' condition, influenced by proper maintenance and sudden climate changes that can damage the turf. On synthetic grass fields, safety is largely influenced by the grass' properties and its ability to affect the air's warming.However, even in this case, maintenance plays a pivotal role, albeit less obvious. For instance, if the synthetic field is not regularly brushed, the rubber's bounce can render the surface uneven.It's important to emphasize that fields tend to show signs of aging after a period of 5-7 years, with fibers laying on the surface, reducing the players' ability to penetrate with their cleats. In some situations, if the cleats manage to penetrate between the laid down fibers, they could exert excessive grip during the players' direction changes.As time passes, the field becomes stiffer, negatively affecting the player's performance. This is because the fibers lose their UV resistance and become less elastic, making it impossible to renew the field's original characteristics.However, what seems to represent a greater risk for players is the change in playing terrain between natural and artificial grass fields. Many modern sports centers, in fact, have training fields with synthetic grass and stadiums with natural turf. The change in field type can significantly impact the safety of players who practice on one terrain and play matches on another. Villa Stuart, a center specializing in sports injuries, confirms that the frequent switch between natural and synthetic grass fields can be more dangerous for players than choosing to always play on the same type of terrain. Despite appropriate maintenance making the two types of field similar in performance characteristics, if these nuances in surface types are not taken into account, the risk of injury increases.

However, what seems to pose a greater risk for players is the change of playing field between natural grass and artificial turf. In fact, many modern sports centers have training grounds with synthetic grass and stadiums with natural turf. The change in the type of field can significantly affect the safety of players who practice on one ground and play their matches on another. Villa Stuart, a center that deals with sports injuries, confirms that frequent switching between natural grass and synthetic turf fields can be more dangerous for players than choosing to always play on the same type of ground. Although proper maintenance can make the two types of fields similar in terms of performance characteristics, if this is not adequate, the differences can be very significant.

Player Health

Beyond concerns about injuries, there are also concerns for the long-term health of players. For example, some artificial turf fields use recycled rubber crumb infill, which may contain potentially harmful chemicals. Although research has not yet established a definitive connection between exposure to these chemicals and specific health problems, the issue remains an area of concern.