AstroTurf & Injuries

AstroTurf advancements have come a long way since it was first introduced in 1968.

AstroTurf first gained prominence in 1968 when the Houston Astros installed the synthetic playing surface on their baseball field. Although initially praised for its low maintenance appeal and suitability for indoor playing surfaces, studies began to show that athletes were more susceptible to injuries on AstroTurf than natural grass. As a result, some sports teams reverted back to natural grass. AstroTurf and competing companies continue to look for ways to improve the safety of AstroTurf without compromising durability.

Evolution of AstroTurf

In the 1960s, AstroTurf basically existed as an indoor carpet, thick enough to serve as a playing surface, but with little to no padding. This appealed to teams with indoor stadiums or cold weather climates that had trouble maintaining natural grass in poor conditions. Today, AstroTurf surfaces include an infill substance made of rubber and sand that creates a more natural playing surface for athletes. The surface also creates more padding to reduce to number of impact injuries and rug burns that frequently occurred on early versions of AstroTurf.

Impact Injuries

In the early decades of AstroTurf's popularity, scientists began noticing an increase in impact injuries, such as concussions and broken bones. Some injuries, like rug burns, did not exist on natural grass surfaces. Players who frequently played on artificial surfaces began complaining about more aches and pains than those who played on natural grass. These impact injuries resulted largely from the lack of padding on the AstroTurf surface.

Friction Injuries

The most severe and common injuries caused by early AstroTurf surfaces consisted of friction injuries. Unlike natural grass, which allows a cleat to slip under awkward conditions, the AstroTurf surface held the foot tightly to the carpet and created a much sharper cut and increased pressure on joints and ligaments. Common friction injuries include anterior cruciate ligament tears and sprains and ankle sprains. Once considered a career-ending injury, the increased probability of an in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear contributed to many professional and college organizations abandoning the AstroTurf surface and reinstalling natural grass.

Studies

A study conducted at Michigan State University revealed that the composition of infill used in modern day artificial turf surfaces varies with regard to the torque created. Higher levels of torque create more stress on joints and ligaments, which increases the chance of injury. The study showed that infill consisting of rubber and sand created the highest level of torque, while variable compositions of 100 percent rubber infills created lower levels of torque. The torque created by all artificial surfaces produced significantly higher results than natural grass, meaning that even the best artificial playing surfaces likely increase the chance of injury.

Future of AstroTurf

The largest obstacle that AstroTurf and other artificial turf producers face results in balancing low levels of friction with high levels of padding and durability. Maintaining a natural grass field costs millions of dollars in labor and materials. However, many sports organizations do not want to endanger their investments in players by installing a surface that likely increases their chance of injury. An ideal artificial turf must simulate natural grass conditions in terms of friction and cushion, but not compromise durability, which remains a primary reason for artificial turf surfaces. Although today's artificial surfaces provide far less risk to players than early versions of AstroTurf, until technology advances to match or improve the risk of injury as compared to natural grass, injury concerns will continue to persist.

References

• AstroTurf USA: History Timeline
• Hospital for Special: AstroTurf: Does it Increase the Risk of Sports Injuries?
• BusinessWeek: Football Injuries More Likely on Certain Artificial Turf
• AstroTurf USA : Making the Grade the the MSU Field Testing Project
• Michigan State University: Football Playing Surface Components May Affect Lower Extremity Injury Risk