title: Exploring the biomechanical load of a sliding on the skin: understanding the acute skin injury mechanism of player-surface interaction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, there is a shortage of biomechanical data regarding acute skin injury mechanisms that are involved in player-surface contact in soccer on artificial turf. It is hypothesized that peak loads on the skin during the landing phase are an important factor in causing an acute skin injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Simultaneously, video analysis and load measurements using an in-ground force plate of the landing phase of a sliding tackle were recorded and correlated with observed clinical skin lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Video analysis revealed two sliding techniques: a horizontal jump and a sliding-in technique. The first technique resulted in both significantly higher vertical and horizontal peak forces during impact on the knee (2.3±0.4 kN and 1.4±0.5 kN) and thigh (4.9±0.9 kN and 1.8±0.5 kN). In combination with the observed skin lesion areas, a combined normal-shear stress of at least 24 and 14 N.cm-2 induce abrasion injuries on dry artificial turf.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study confirm that high peak stresses during the landing phase of a sliding is critical for inducing skin injuries on the knee and thigh. Reducing these peak shear stresses could be an important first step towards preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands - wilbert.vandeneijnde@radboudumc.nl.
authors.forename: Wilbert
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Eijnde
authors.affiliation: NUTRIM, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.affiliation: Reden B.V., Hengelo, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lamers
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Malou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peppelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Erp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014741:Video Recording