title: Rotational and peak torque stiffness of rugby shoes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sports people always strive to avoid injury. Sports shoe designs in many sports have been shown to affect traction and injury rates. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the differing stiffness and torque in rugby boots that are designed for the same effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five different types of rugby shoes commonly worn by scrum forwards were laboratory tested for rotational stiffness and peak torque on a natural playing surface generating force patterns that would be consistent with a rugby scrum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall internal rotation peak torque was 57.75±6.26 Nm while that of external rotation was 56.55±4.36 Nm. The Peak internal and external rotational stiffness were 0.696±0.1 and 0.708±0.06 Nm/deg respectively. Our results, when compared to rotational stiffness and peak torques of football shoes published in the literature, show that shoes worn by rugby players exert higher rotational and peak torque stiffness compared to football shoes when tested on the same natural surfaces. There was significant difference between the tested rugby shoes brands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our opinion, to maximize potential performance and lower the potential of non-contact injury, care should be taken in choosing boots with stiffness appropriate to the players main playing role.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L7 9AL, UK. Electronic address: dr_moez@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Moez S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ballal
authors.affiliation: CTS Piede e Caviglia, RCCS Galeazzi, 4 Zip 20100 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico Giuseppe
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Usuelli
authors.affiliation: CTS Piede e Caviglia, RCCS Galeazzi, 4 Zip 20100 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto Alfieri
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Montrasio
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L7 9AL, UK.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Structure, Mechanics Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano and IRCCS Galeazzi, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: La Barbera
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Structure, Mechanics Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano and IRCCS Galeazzi, Italy.
authors.forename: Tomaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.affiliation: CTS Piede e Caviglia, RCCS Galeazzi, 4 Zip 20100 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banfi
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004867:Equipment Design; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D012775:Shoes
keywords: Rotational; Rugby; Shoes; Stiffness; Torque