The safety of AstroTurf

AstroTurf is the playing surface of choice at many schools and sports clubs in England. The surface's popularity can be put down to two main factors, AstroTurf requires less maintenance than natural turf, and is therefore cheaper. AstroTurf is also much more weatherproof than natural turf, making it available for use more of the time.

AstroTurf was first used in a major stadium in 1965, at the Housten Aerodome (Home of the Housten Texans NFL team). This playing surface was the only viable option, as natural turf would receive no sunlight in an indoor stadium. The use of Astroturf in NFL arenas became much more common, following the example of the Housten Aerodome.

There are however, a number of problems associated with the use of this playing surface. The rate of major injuries on AstroTurf is much higher than that of natural turf. The number of minor injuries such as "turf toe" and "turf burn", which are virtually non-existent on natural turf, are very common on this artificial surface.

There are two physical characteristics of AstroTurf which can be used to explain this high injury rate. The coefficient of friction is much higher on this surface than on natural turf. This means that a greater force must be exerted in order to move, explaining the high occurence of turf toe and turf burn.

AstroTurf also has a higher coefficient of restitution. This measurement displays a surfaces ability to absorb force. As a result of AstroTurf being less absorbent than natural turf, the occurance of broken bones and concussions is far more regular when athletes collide with the surface.

According to Dr. Mark Drakes, the first significant study into the effects of AstroTurf on injury showed that more series injuries were experienced by NFL teams on this surface compared to natural turf. The study also showed that (within natural turfs) the injury rate is also significantly higher on poorly maintained surfaces, and that the injuries on these surfaces showed a similar pattern to those found on AstroTurf, especially in cold weather areas.

With AstroTurf gaining popularity with schools, it is important to consider the injuries which may result from playing on this surface. The other options available to schools are to use natural turf, or to use a more technologically advanced artificial surface. However, both of these options come at a higher cost, one which schools and sports clubs in England appear to be unwilling, or unable to pay.

Ben Brown