Study reveals boot designers are failing women rugby and football players

A new study from the University of Exeter show that 89% of female rugby players suffer from pain or discomfort from their boots which are designed for men's feet. This 'footwear inequality' can lead to injuries for women athletes. 

Over the last three years, nearly 1,000 detailed 3D foot scans have been collected from amateur and professional players from Premiership Women's Rugby, the National Women's Soccer League and top English professional leagues. Alongside foot scanning, 330 rugby players across all levels of the sport were surveyed, including participation from eight of the nine Premiership teams.

While 78 percent of female rugby players listed comfort as a top priority when selecting footwear, 89 percent experienced pain or discomfort from their boots. 

Abby Middlebrook of the Exeter Chiefs, who is also studying at the University of Exeter, said that in changing rooms, female players are constantly changing placement of studs in an effort to achieve comfort. She also said that a lot of the girls are having to see foot specialists to deal with problems related to boots. 

With that in mind, the findings of the survey have been used to develop the first ever soft ground boot specifically for female players. The boot is buoilt for women's foot form and structure and was tested initially during the Women's Six Nations earlier this year.  

For the first time, we've put the needs of female athletes at the forefront of boot design. Until recently, research on studded football and rugby boots focused on male players, resulting in designs being based on optimising performance and minimising injury risk for men. We've focused on the requirements for female players and used biomechanical testing and 3D foot scanning to design the first ever soft ground boot specifically for women.    (Associate Professor Sharon Dixon - University of Exeter Medical School)                                                                                                   

IDA Sports, who collaborated on the study, have been working since 2018 to address the bias and create high-quality boots for all ages and skill levels. The new iteration of the boot design is being used in the current Women's Rugby World Cup.