| Of football boots and miracle shoes |
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NOMIS technologies take over playing fields Zug, 19 May 2008. In terms of shoe fetishes, fingers can be pointed at men just as much as at women. What sounds absurd at first is in fact true.
After all, modern football players wear football boots like ladies wear court shoes: in all colours and designs to match any outfit. Professional players’ shoes however enjoy regular cult status. Nevertheless, a cult football boot does not necessarily mean its wearer will play like a pro. In fact, the opposite is often true: experts complain that the performance of a football boot and its orthopaedic suitability are often contradictions in terms. The football boot brand NOMIS has literally sounded out the following problem: even the most basic running shoe offers better protection and absorption than a standard football boot. Considering that little importance has been directed towards improvement of the running position in the design of football boots, NOMIS has collaborated with orthopaedic surgeons to design an effective football boot concept which concentrates on the three primary criteria: comfort, performance and prevention of injury. Couldn’t get stronger or more painful Feet are subject to enormous forces when sprinting, slowing down and changing direction. Tests have indicated, for example, that the body is exposed to forces when sprinting which otherwise only need to be withstood by jet pilots, i.e. five to six times’ acceleration due to gravity (source: Stiftung Warentest 6/2004). This puts strain on muscles and ligaments, especially in the foot and knee. For this reason, it is all the more important that football boots absorb impact upon contact with the ground and distribute the pressure across the sole of the shoe as consistently as possible. NOMIS has entirely revised the area of shoe soles and the arrangement of spikes for hard, soft and firm ground. As a result, not only maximum comfort but also maximum turning movements by the foot are achieved which in turn reduces the strain on ankles and knees. On hard surfaces, 32 cast rubber spikes ensure maximum grip while also enabling movements in various directions. In the case of models for soft ground, the arrangement of spikes increases stability of the foot and reduces the risk of injury in the area of the sensitive metatarsals – the bones in the middle foot. A break in the fifth metatarsal (metatarsal-5-basic fracture) is often overseen at the base of the bone as the pain is located along the side of the arch or outer foot. The second pain, i.e. in the second metatarsal, often includes the toe. The reason for this is the big toe which is shorter in the case of many players. This leads to an enormous increase in pressure on the second pain incurred when shoes are worn which are too tight. An innovative design prevents direct contact between the spike screw and the lower section of the shoe which then reduces the pressure exerted by spikes. For many football players, excessive spike pressure represents one of the main problems of modern football boots. Knees are the joints most susceptible to injury among footballers – owing to many non-physiological turning movements performed under high strain. Semicircular-shaped spikes ensure improved grip on firm surfaces; they permit natural turning movements by feet thereby reducing the risk of the shoe getting stuck in the ground – one of the most common reasons for injury to knees as well as feet, ankles and legs. Thanks to their wider spike arrangement, each of the three shoe sole models improves the distribution of pressure across the foot thus increasing both comfort and stability. Two different levels of hardness of the outer sole also improve absorption following impact. The game is decided on the field – this statement no longer applies Whenever players or trainers can’t think of anything else to say, they come up with the claim that “the game is decided on the field”. Of course – each ball contact can decide over victory or defeat. All the more important therefore that players and balls as well as balls and shoes are inseparable – regardless of the weather. For this reason, NOMIS has launched the Wet and Dual Control Leather technologies comprising specially-treated kangaroo leather and cowhide – to ensure that a double-pass is twice as much fun. The aim of each technology: to ensure outstanding grip on the ball and maximum ball control both under dry and wet playing conditions. When it’s wet, standard leather or synthetic materials trigger an aqua-planning effect which can prevent friction between the football boot and the ball. With the result that grip on the ball and therefore ball control are lost. But not in the case of Wet Control Technology by NOMIS which has been proven to achieve 7.5 times’ better grip on the ball when it’s wet while NOMIS leather absorbs less moisture compared to conventional football boots made of leather. Thanks to Dual Control Technology, players can benefit under dry playing conditions from ball grip representing a 16-fold improvement which in turn improves precision. After all, the aim is to get the ball into the goal. Wet and Dual Control Technologies retain their efficiency for the entire useful life of shoes as the leather as a whole and not only the surface has been treated. Regardless of how often players wear their boots, they can always rely on these technologies. Combating grass, muck and dirt The patented outer sole nomud technology represents a challenge for dirt. During the course of a match, less muck, grass and dirt accumulates on the sole and the shoes retain their original weight – even after 90 minutes of playing time. Likewise, good grip and the support function also remain in place. Additional features are displayed by the well-conceived NOMIS boot concept in the case of the EVA central sole. It runs from the heel to the front of the shoe with the result that the heel is slightly raised inside the shoe and the player’s weight is shifted forwards. This improves the running position while relieving legs and calves. This leads to minimisation of muscle ache and a general reduction in the risk of injury. Apart from all of the technologies, NOMIS also puts an end to another uncomfortable and high-injury footballer’s custom – to buy football boots a size smaller than usual so that they fit better. With painful results: the tip of the shoe presses down on the big toe and this strain radiates to the bones and joints. With three different fits – ranging from slim through classic to broad – NOMIS ensures extensive wear comfort with the right shoe size yet a slim fit. NOMIS football boots are available for all ages, male or female and in every size. After all, children in particular require football boots which are orthopaedically effective – as among children, the focus is on healthy physical development and avoiding long-term and subsequent damage. Among ladies’ shoes, reinforcement of the Achilles heel has been designed lower to prevent friction and blisters. The heel area also has a slimmer form than the men’s models enabling the shoe to adapt better to slimmer female heels. The uncontested number one remains the model “The Glove” – with which NOMIS is now capturing the hearts of German football fans. Other product innovations for 2008 include the HG Supremacy and the HG Pro, specially developed for hard playing fields. The entire shoe range and online shop are available at www.nomissports.com. Press contact: Nomis Sports AG Ingo Bartels Baarermattstr. 6 6300 Zug Switzerland Phone +49 (0) 171-3183317 Email ingo@nomissports.com |
