SURFACE-RELATED BIOMECHANICAL RISK FACTORS FOR ACL INJURIES IN COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ARTIFICIAL TURF AND NATURAL GRASS

ACL injuries are the most prevalent and disabling injury in football that may take months of rehabilitation and even result in a decrease in performance over time in the majority of cases. This paper delineates the playing surfaces, whether they are artificial turf or artificial grass playing surfaces, that affect the risk of ACL injury in competitive football players. Based on the existing literature in sports medicine, statistics on injuries in professional leagues, and studies on biomechanics, the paper assesses the interaction of surface traction, movement factors, and fatigue on the type of playing field. The results indicate that artificial turf is comparatively likely to cause ACL injuries because of the high friction of the surface, different interactions of a foot with the ground, and rougher breaking actions. Recommendations to reduce injury and ensure safer use of surfaces are presented at the end of the paper.