When buying football boots, you need to consider the fit and ask: how does this boot assist in injury prevention?

To find the right fit, you need to have a secure fit around the heel and about a thumb’s width worth of room at the end of the boot from your longest toe. It is best recommended to try boots on with your football socks so you can get the proper feel instore. A boot that is too small or too big can result in heel slippage, blisters, increased wear and tear to the boot and discomfort for players.

For injury prevention, I always suggest you aim for a boot with a raised heel, also known as a heel gradient, as this helps reduce the stress to your legs and feet.

HG10mm is specific to ASICS Football boots and used in all of their range. Working alongside health professionals, ASICS developed and implemented a 10mm Heel Gradient (or Heel Raise) into all of their boots.

What occurs when your heel sits slightly higher in the boot in comparison to your forefoot? A heel gradient is important as it helps to reduce the stress placed onto your lower limbs during training and games.

In choosing ASICS boots you are automatically taking the next step in your injury prevention.

The studs used vary across football codes and ground conditions. Most boots have moulded (plastic) studs which are approved for use across the different football codes.

The forefoot of a boot typically has small circular studs which give players good traction underfoot and release faster in comparison to other stud types. For larger or different shape studs, you usually want these under the heel, as it gives more grip and helps to stabilize your foot.

If you are looking at purchasing boots with metal studs, it is important to check you are allowed to play with metal studs as many codes / leagues do not permit their use.

Part of managing any complex feet is to first do what we can to prevent injuries or aggravate a past injury. For injury prevention, I always recommend going with ASICS football boots because of their HG10mm raised heel which assists with this.

When considering other factors such as accommodating an orthotic, check that the boot has a removeable sock liner. Taking the sock liner out will give you more depth to fit your orthotic. In addition, look for a boot with a more accommodating forefoot width such as the LETHAL TESTIMONIAL 4 IT, GEL-LETHAL 18 or the LETHAL ULTIMATE FF.

For the specific problem of Sesamoiditis there can be a variety of approaches. However, two factors to look for are:

• A full-length midsole which will provide more cushioning underfoot. Boots which include a full-length midsole are the LETHAL ULTIMATE FF and GEL-LETHAL 18.

• More studs to help spread the load and reduce pressure to the sesamoid site. Boots with high stud layout are the LETHAL ULTIMATE FF and GEL-LETHAL 18.

As a tertiary option, the LETHAL TIGREOR offers more studs, and a shortened stud over the sesamoid site to reduce pressure. In addition the Solyte Polymer outsole is more forgiving when compared to nylon outsole.

For a long time women were required to wear men’s boots, which didn’t acknowledge the smaller shape of a woman’s foot. ASICS recognised the need to develop a specific women’s boot that caters to this.

In working with their medical partners, the ASICS women’s football boot offers a redesigned toebox and a smaller instep to reduce heel slippage and deliver a better overall fit.