Did that get your attention? Do you know what cleats are?
I suppose we have all heard of cleats. I don’t think I ever thought much about them but somehow I did know that there were different cleats for different sports. Well, while that is true, it is probably more appropriate to say that there are different cleats for different ground surfaces.
Athletes have worn cleats since at least the 1500s. Isn’t that amazing? How is that known, you ask? Well, it seems that in a list of King Henry VIII’s wardrobe there was a pair of “football boots” mentioned. Yes, and it was also found that the royal cordwaineror the royal shoemaker (a new obsolete word for you word a day types) whose name was Cornelius Johnson charged the king the equivalent of $200 for the “football shoes.”
Also for those of you who enjoy a little trivia, the actual points that stick out of the shoe are called “cleats” in America but in England, they are called “studs”.
Buying cleats
Where would you think to go buy cleats? There are several ways you can buy them. You can go to a specialty shoe store, sporting goods store, a discount store, or over the internet. Which do you think I think you should use? Yes, I think that you need to go the specialty shoe store. Why? Well, I want you to get your shoes professionally fitted. While some think that you want your cleats to fit like a glove so that you can feel the ball, you will damage your toe nails and possibly your toes wearing cleats fitted that way. You really want them to fit your foot. That means that Moms should not buy cleats that a little big so that the child can wear them longer. They need to fit your foot correctly now.
The fit is very important. While you may only wear them for an hour or so at a time, during that hour you are extremely active and any chafing or discomfort will affect your play.
Cleats come in all price ranges. You need to think about how much you want to pay for your cleats. I don’t think you want to spend like the King of England if you are only wearing them for occasional play. The amount you want to spend will give you a guide as to the brand of cleats.
There are molded and detachable cleats. Molded cleats are the ones that you might be familiar with from soccer. The cleats are a part of the shoe so that when you buy one you buy both. With detachable cleats, you buy the shoe that fits you best and then the type or types of cleats that will work for your sport and type of ground.
When you are not on the field, you should take off your cleats. Wearing them on sidewalks and floors can wear down the cleats and cause them to become uneven which can cause you to be unbalanced when you hit the field. This can lead to injuries.
Having never thought too much about cleats, I was surprised at the different sports that use cleats. Here is a partial list: soccer, football, baseball, golf, bicycling, rugby, and track and field. There are even ice cleats!
So pay attention to the fit of the cleats when you go out to buy some. Get some help to make sure that your cleats don’t affect your play negatively.
Your Pal,
The Foot Blogger Chick
Have you gone over and “liked” us on Facebook? We would really appreciate it if you would!