Safer Spring Sports: Reducing Risk on the Field

It’s that time of the year when families and athletes begin preparing for spring seasons of outdoor sports; soccer, lacrosse, and baseball are just a few. Thousands of athletes are preparing to spend hours playing and practicing on artificial turf fields. While this time is often met with excitement and anticipation for the game, it’s the perfect time to ask questions about the facilities those athletes will be using. There are approximately 11,000 artificial turf fields around the country. That’s 11,000 fields that are exposing athletes of any age to increased risks of injury and illness.

Beginning in the 1990s, third-generation turf came on the scene. It’s the same type of turf that is used today. These artificial turf fields are made up of three layers: a base of gravel, asphalt, or concrete sometimes covered with a shock-absorbing material topped off with pile fibers filled in with ground rubber, silica, or sand. The most common infill is a substance called crumb rubber, small pellets of recycled tires, however, the infill type can vary from field to field.

These plastic turf fields are slick, hot, and smelly. Athletes are more likely to sustain injuries when playing on them than when playing on natural grass fields. Knee, ankle, and head injuries have been found to be more likely to occur on turf. Abrasions and heat-related illnesses are also more likely. Not to mention the toxic substances athletes are exposed to while playing on artificial turf. Parents and athletes should know and understand the increased risks of playing on these surfaces and advocate for safer playing conditions.

Knee and Ankle Injuries

Multiple studies have been conducted across various field sports including football, soccer, and lacrosse. Within those studies, it’s been found that athletes are three times as likely to tear a ligament in their knee on an artificial turf field than on natural grass. Ankle sprains, the most common ankle injury, happen at a higher rate as well. Players are six times more likely to endure an ankle fracture and twice as likely to injure their Achilles tendon on artificial turf. The slippery plastic surface of turf fields is a hazard to players, opening them up to an increased risk of damaging a joint in their body. Lack of traction and little give when making impact leads to these higher rates of injury. Many of these injuries can come with lifelong repercussions, something athletes young and old haven’t necessarily signed up for when they walk onto an artificial turf field.

Head Injuries

Concussions are no joke and it’s been found that athletes who play on artificial turf fields are more likely to sustain a serious concussion when making contact with the ground than those players on natural grass fields. Artificial turf fields are harder than natural grass, considering that they sit on a base of solid concrete or asphalt. Although there is technology to test the hardness of the playing surface to mitigate severe injury, it doesn’t negate the fact that artificial turf is still more dangerous than natural grass. The GMAX score standards (level of acceptable hardness) set by the NFL, Synthetic Turf Council, and other entities attempt to sort out fields that would be considered “out of compliance” on the hardness scale and repair them. However, repairs are costly and are often not made a priority by managing groups. Today, enough research has been conducted to show that even one concussion can cause irreparable damage to a person’s brain, let alone repeated hard head impacts throughout a season or even years of play. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) has become a real concern for athletes of high-contact sports and head injuries sustained on artificial turf fields could contribute to the development of CTE. While CTE can only be diagnosed through an autopsy, protecting players' brains from damage should be of the utmost importance so they never are at risk for developing CTE. While helmets and improved protective gear help with this, playing on a rubber field laid over a concrete pad do not. Artificial turf fields put players at an increased risk for head injuries.

Heat-Related Injuries

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of watching or participating in a late spring sporting event outside, you know that even in the more chilly parts of the U.S. afternoon games can get toasty. Especially when those games are being played on artificial turf. The dark color of the field draws in heat from above and holds onto it. When the outdoor temperature reads around 90 degrees, a natural grass field would measure around 98 degrees; warm but not intolerable. Alternatively, a turf field could reach up to 166 degrees after a long afternoon in the sun. Contact with the hot surface could cause thermal burns. Playing on such a hot field can also lead to an increased risk of dehydration and heatstroke. When participating in outdoor sports it’s always a good idea to keep cool and hydrated, why make it harder by spending that time on artificial turf?

Skin Abrasions

Beyond thermal burns, athletes playing on artificial turf fields are more likely to suffer from abrasions otherwise known as “turf burns.” Turf burns are caused by sliding contact with the plastic and rubber surface, which is incredibly common in most sports played on turf. While the initial turf burn typically isn’t a reason to be pulled from a game or seek immediate medical attention, they do open up opportunities for infections like Staph and MRSA to develop. When left unchecked and untreated, these infections can be life-threatening. Even if a serious infection doesn’t occur, abrasions hurt and athletes try to avoid them. In a study, 60% of elite players surveyed said turf is too abrasive. Players will move and play in a way to reduce turf burns, but this can open them up to other types of injuries.

Exposure to Carcinogens

Bodily injuries aren’t the only risk at hand. Outside of the obvious concerns about players getting injured on the field, athletes should also be aware of the toxic chemicals they may be exposed to during games and practices. As previously mentioned, artificial turf fields are most often filled with ground-up recycled tires; referred to as crumb rubber. While the use of this byproduct keeps nearly 20 million tires from reaching landfills each year, little is known about the potential impacts of using crumb rubber in artificial turf fields. What we do know is that tires can be made up of a wide variety of materials, some of which are known carcinogens. Lead, phthalates, polycyclic organic hydrocarbons (PAHs), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can all be found in tire rubber. Phthalates specifically have been banned from being used in children’s toys due to their effect on hormones in the body.

While these substances have been banned in some areas of our lives, they have not been banned from artificial turf fields. Players come into contact with crumb rubber whenever they dive, slide, or tackle. Tiny bits of the rubber fly into the air and can lodge themselves in player equipment, uniforms, hair, mouths, ears, and eyes. On top of this constant contact with the crumb rubber, heat can amplify the concerns around toxic exposure. As artificial turf fields heat up in the sun, they can let off toxic dust and gasses. While burning whole tires is prohibited to keep these toxic fumes from entering the air, nothing has been done to regulate these toxins on artificial turf playing fields. Athletes that spend prolonged hours on artificial turf are at risk of prolonged exposure to carcinogens found in the crumb rubber under their feet.

As artificial turf has become increasingly popular, younger generations are now spending their entire athletic careers playing and practicing on dangerous, toxic turf fields. It’s unknown how their health could be affected by the time they spend touching the artificial surface. Older athletes are coming out to express their desire to play on natural grass to avoid injury and illness. There are clear signs that the trend shouldn’t continue going in favor of artificial turf. While there are appealing aspects such as reducing water use and limiting maintenance, the costs of interacting with these turf facilities are too significant to continue using them.

Natural grass fields are softer, cleaner, and safer for our families and our favorite athletes. Make for safer spring sports this year by seeking out natural grass fields and playgrounds for your local youth sports team to utilize. Advocate for local schools to choose natural grass over installing artificial turf fields on their campuses. Pressure large institutions to pay attention to the risks associated with artificial turf and change the narrative around natural grass stadiums and facilities. Grass is good and makes for safer, higher-quality performances on the field.

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Safer Spring Sports: Reducing Risk on the Field

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