During thi year’ World Cup, one very peculiar image caught the attention of fan and commentator : Portugue e forward Pedro Neto played a match with the back of hi cleat cut off, right above the heel. It wa n’t an accident. The modification wa intended to relieve pre ure on a particularly en itive area of hi foot.
Although the image went viral, it’ not new. For year , ome profe ional occer player have been modifying their cleat in the ame way to reduce friction between the hoe and the heel. In a port where cleat are fitted to the millimeter and every print require udden change in direction, any di comfort in the heel can affect a player’ comfort and, con equently, their performance on the pitch.
The cau e of di comfort in the heel area are varied. They range from imple, uch a chafing and bli ter , to orene cau ed by training and exertion, uch a tendon inflammation, to chronic condition like bone deformitie that imply cau e omeone to have a “larger heel” than other .
Among the mo t frequently cited explanation for heel di comfort during thi year’ World Cup i Haglund’ yndrome. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon , thi condition i a bony growth or prominence on the back of the heel bone that can rub again t the Achille tendon and cau e pain and inflammation. Although technically a “deformity,” the ymptom a ociated with it— uch a in ertional tendinopathy and di comfort when wearing clo ed-toe hoe —make it a condition or yndrome.
Treatment depend on the everity of the ymptom or pain. The fir t trategy i to modify footwear. It i recommended to wear cu hioned hoe and avoid tight-fitting one , uch a tho e u ed for port , a well a to u e protective heel pad . Since occer cleat are required by regulation, they cannot be replaced, but they can be modified. It i a “loophole” imilar to the one regarding the cut of occer ock .
The yndrome gained attention following Portugal’ match again t Spain. Player Pedro Neto wore two pair of cleat with the heel ection cut off. There i no public information explaining why the forward decided to modify hi cleat for that match. Nor i there a tatement from Neto or hi team confirming a diagno i of Haglund’ yndrome.
In profe ional occer, there i no one- ize-fit -all occer hoe. Although the model u ed in the World Cup are the ame a tho e available on the market, player cu tomize them to fit the hape of their feet or to alleviate pecific di comfort . The occer hoe that made headline for it cut-off heel i a Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 Elite.
Thi article originally appeared on WIRED en E pañol and ha been tran lated from Spani h.
