Medical Research
FOOTGUARD SAFETY!
The study at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6259463/ listed further below is imperative in supporting our Foot Guard Technology claim and should be referred to by any authority seeking clarification on why all players without exceptions can and should use our Foot Guard Technology in all tournaments. This is not a device for training only. It is a foot guard to be used to prevent injury whenever close contact between players is expected. This technology is in full compliance with FIFA LAW 4.
Also, based on scientific Safety Pressure Testing performed, comparing a Nike Mercurial soccer shoe equipped with the Genie Pro Foot Guard to a Nike Mercurial without the guard, using a certified force and pressure guage equipped with an automated distance measuring device we concluded the ff: The design and composition of our foot guards would be extremely protective to the metatarsal area, allowing it to tolerate a significantly greater amount of localized high pressure , up to 4.5 times more than without the foot guard, without subjecting the underlying foot to pain and injury. See Study below;
link https://www.academia.edu/79324074/Safety_Pressure_Testing_of_Genie_Pro_Foot_Guard
Regarding lower leg fractures, an epidemiologic study reported foot fractures in 2nd place after ankle fractures.
ANKLE FRACTURES 36%
FOOT FRACTURES 33%
TIBIAL(SHIN) FRACTURE 22%
The incidence in competition or match injuries is on average 4-6 times higher than during training sessions.
60% of soccer players eventually present with anterior ankle impingement syndrome (Footballers Ankle) because of repetitive impact causing microtrauma to the anterior aspect of the ankle and repeated ankle extremes of motion (either up or down). Players develop anterior pain with ankle movement and swelling of the area. Based on the mechanism behind these injuries, Genie Pro® can potentially help mitigate the incidence of this occurrence due to the benefits of this ‘safe design’. By buffering the jarring impacts during power kicks as well as reducing the extremes of motion and improving the biomechanics during power shots, the cumulative damage overtime is significantly less. This could help delay the onset and reduce the incidence of this phenomenon in soccer players and footballers over time.
Direct Contact accounts for half of all injuries in soccer. Over 30% of severe foot and ankle injuries are due to metatarsal injury and fractures. Genie Pro® Foot Guards are your best line of ‘METATARSAL’ defence and your absolute best friend when you need them the most.
Genie Pro is designed right, and can prolong a players professional career by protecting their most cherished asset-their feet
INTERESTING FACTS: Wherever sport boots with studs are present, be it in Soccer, American Football, Rugby or even Lacrosse, there is always a risk of getting cleated over the foot area, or an accidental kick into the sole/studs of an opposing player. David Beckham fractured his foot and was out of the league for 7 weeks, Wayne Rooney was out for 14 weeks, Steven Gerrard out for 10 weeks, Gary Neville was out for 21 weeks, Ashley Cole out 12 weeks, Michael Owens out 17 weeks, John Terry …… the list goes on and on
OUR FOOT GUARD PROTECTS THE METATARSAL AREA!
New generation soccer boots have been striving to attain lightweight dominance with very snug lightweight boots so as to improve ball touch, control and ultimately enabling better performance and more GOALS! The downside is the safety of these shoes became compromised. Genie Pro Guards resolve this dilemma by easily attaching onto existing cleats without detriment in cleat performance due to the well thought out ultralightweight and ergonomic design.
Professor David Barrett, a knee and sports injury specialist at Southampton General Hospital, states the following; “The high-technology footwear trend can cause the dreaded metatarsal injury.” “Orthopaedic surgeons are seeing a lot more metatarsal injuries in patients of the kind David Beckham and Wayne Rooney have suffered in the past – and that is because of lightweight boots.” ”The introduction of this kind of footwear came about because professional footballers, particularly strikers, wanted boots as lightweight as possible for foot speed. This means when they kick through, the lighter the foot is, the easier it is for them to move it.”The result is the players have got no protection at all – put simply, lightweight footwear equals metatarsal fractures.”’Local players should avoid lightweight boots because it is not worth putting aesthetics before protection,” he explained. “Amateur footballers should not copy their World Cup heroes and play in lightweight boots because they are causing feet fractures.’‘Usually, they are working men and having to deal with a broken foot is the last thing they need in life.
Well now, there is an option for all soccer players. You can still have a lightweight shoe, and have much better protection to your foot and ankle, without negatively impacting performance.
These are the simple facts. Genie Pro® Foot Guard Technology cannot prevent fractures caused by excessive rotational forces, but can be instrumental in protecting tissues against a direct crushing blow over the foot and preventing overuse injury over the long term of a players career.
The link further below is a study that is imperative in supporting our Foot Guard Technology claim and in line with their conclusion that endorses a heavier shoe with embedded technical devices to improve protection, comfort and performance. The right balance between weight and technical features needs to be found." After all our testing, we know we have found a technical device that when embedded on the shoe, provides the right balance between weight and technical features that every soccer player should seek. We appeal to FIFA to take this seriously and endorse our product for the benefit of world soccer safety.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6259463/
Here are the highlights; CURRENT SOCCER FOOTWEAR, ITS ROLE IN INJURIES AND POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT : The soccer shoe’s trend towards minimalism: The minimalist running shoe is characterized by ultralightweight materials, reduced sole thickness, little to no anterior-posterior pitch, and a very thin vamp, aimed at providing the runner with a supposedly natural, almost barefoot sensation. It obviously has limited protection against shocks, and many studies underline increased stresses and injury risk with the minimalist style 21 22 24 46 74 87 .
Several authors mention that soccer shoe brands update their shoes with claims of increased player speed and power shoot, improved endurance and improved ball touch by proposing increasingly lighter and thinner materials along minimalistic lines, yet they still harbor the risks 41 44 75 78 .
The Amos and Morag study is the only to mention increased foot speed when kicking with lighter shoes 3 . On the contrary, Hennig and Sterzing suggest that the increased inertial energy related to weight compensates for any reduction of the kinetic energy associated with decreased speed 42 . The highest foot speed and forceful kicking strength are observed in bare feet. This phenomenon is not due to lack of extra weight but to two other parameters. First, the support foot’s proprioception is significantly higher than it is with a shod foot: this has been described as crucial in both precision and kicking power 15 42 . Secondly, without footwear, and therefore without a rear abutment at the Achilles tendon, an increased degree of plantar flexion occurs upon impact. This translates to optimal alignment, a significant lever arm and increased torque 42 100 .
Lighter shoes are often assumed to be responsible for lower energy consumption. According to Frederick, each additional 100 g of shoe weight increases energy consumption by 1% 35 . More recently, Shorten reported that reducing energy consumption should not compromise protection against injuries: the mechanical benefits and special features incorporated for a moderate surplus weight can prevent patellofemoral pain, calcaneal tendinopathy, stress fractures or other diseases of the lower limbs 94 . Moreover, long-term performance significantly benefits from footwear with high technical characteristics, compared to the cost of any slight increase in instantaneous energy consumption. According to Wierzbinski 115 and Tung et al. 106 , shoes with dynamic materials can be more efficient in terms of energy consumption than running barefoot. This result was confirmed by Franz et al. 34 : even if low shoe weight is generally related to low energy consumption, the shoe’s mechanical properties with specific devices can ultimately obtain better energy efficiency.
Slade et al. reported that only 30% of players were able to accurately perceive the shoe weight 97 . A difference of weight greater than 140 g was required in order for most subjects to be able to identify the heaviest shoe model between those tested. By contrast, 92% of the volunteers were able to identify the heavier shoe when using their hands. When buying a pair of shoes in a store, the customer usually handles the shoes before trying them on. This first impression, along with the advertising message touting the benefits of lightweight shoes, may lead the customer to buy the lightest pair, which is sometimes at the expense of technical, comfort and aesthetic criteria.
Nonetheless, to reduce injury risks, Coyles and Lake 18 proposed increasing the number of cleats as well as incorporating protective materials at the forefoot.
CONCLUSION! "There is no strong argument favoring extreme weight reduction of the soccer shoe, whether for comfort or for performance. On the contrary, many studies endorse a heavier shoe with embedded technical devices to improve protection, comfort and performance. The right balance between weight and technical features needs to be found."
We have found that balance between weight and technical features as proposed in the completed study above and based on consumer reports from various players seem to support our claim. Our technology adds only 6grams to your shoe. The study above shows that 140grams is the perceptible weight difference that makes a shoe identifiable as heavy by most subjects. 6grams cannot be felt by any subject as a perceptible weight difference!
HUMAN FIELD TESTING:
We initially tested our technology in Ghana, Africa, at the national stadium in Accra. We wanted to ensure that this technology would meet the expectations of players who grew up playing ball with bare feet. We were fortunate enough to find 2 professional local players, who fit that criteria, who run the gamut of testing.
Why use professional players with experience playing barefooted? Because these players are most qualified to comment on a technology like ours since they understand the feel for the ball better than someone who played in shoes all his life. Also, as a professional player, they would know right away if Genie Pro would work well for them or not.
RESULTS: Testing was a resounding success with overall improved player satisfaction with the new found safety profile. In fact, They absolutely loved it!
Soccer players inherently kick out of habit and practice. Simply play in Genie Pro® at all times to reap the benefits. Players’ do NOT have to re-learn the art of kicking as they intuitively use their original skill-set to confidently kick balls.
Genie Pro is an absolute necessity for any 21st century player. We should all be seeking a long injury free soccer/football career. Why take a chance and become a statistic?
Like everything else in life, this technology requires an open mindset with the desire to embrace evolution, safety and self improvement. The product delivers if given a chance!
ENJOY YOUR GENIE PRO®!