Optimizing the Foot Inside the Cleat
As the World Cup reaches its final stages, we are watching the best soccer players in the world perform at an extraordinary level.
These athletes run for miles, accelerate, decelerate, stop on a dime, cut, pivot, strike the ball and repeatedly change direction—all while maintaining balance and control under tremendous pressure.
Soccer—or football, as most of the world calls it—is a beautiful game, but it is also incredibly demanding on the feet and lower extremities. Every movement begins with the athlete's interaction with the ground, making foot function, footwear and stability essential components of performance.
One of the greatest challenges is the cleated shoe itself. Soccer cleats are typically narrow, low-volume and designed to provide a close connection between the foot and the ball. Professional players may have access to customized footwear, but most youth, high school, collegiate and recreational athletes do not.
Their first priority should always be finding a cleat that fits properly and comfortably. Even then, however, the limited space inside the shoe can make it difficult to provide adequate biomechanical support without creating pressure, friction or crowding.
That is where the iOrthotics CleatForce device becomes particularly valuable.
CleatForce is a thin, low-profile, 3D-printed functional device engineered specifically for cleated and other low-volume athletic footwear. Its unique triangular rearfoot post provides control and stability while occupying significantly less space than a traditional extrinsic rearfoot post.
The semi-flexible shell offers support without making the cleat feel heavy, bulky or restrictive.
The device can also be modified according to the athlete's individual biomechanics and pathology. Accommodations can be incorporated to improve the function of the first metatarsophalangeal joint—the big-toe joint that plays an essential role in propulsion, sprinting, cutting and pushing off in multiple directions. Additional modifications can help address concerns such as excessive pronation, metatarsal pressure, sesamoid discomfort, hallux limitation or other sport-specific mechanical demands.
The collaboration between the clinician and laboratory is an equally important part of the process.
At Orangetown Podiatry, we use 3D scanning technology and provide iOrthotics with detailed clinical information, photographs and, when helpful, scans or images of the athlete's actual cleats. In certain cases, I will send the shoe directly to the laboratory so the technicians can see exactly how much space is available and ensure that the finished device fits comfortably.
Depending on the athlete and the footwear, I may prescribe either a three-quarter-length or full-length device. When possible, I also prefer a thin, breathable, antimicrobial top cover to help control moisture and reduce friction, blistering and hot spots during play.
The objective is not to place a bulky orthotic inside an already narrow shoe. The goal is to create a precise, shoe-specific interface between the athlete, the cleat and the playing surface—providing support where it is needed while allowing the foot to move efficiently.
The athletes competing on the world stage remind us just how remarkable the human foot can be.
With the right cleat, an accurate clinical assessment and a carefully designed low-profile device such as CleatForce, we can help athletes at every level move more comfortably, function more efficiently and perform with greater confidence.
Dr. Rob Conenello is the founder of Orangetown Podiatry in the New York metro area, Clinical Director of Special Olympics New Jersey Healthy Athletes, and Past President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. With 30 years' experience in sports medicine and biomechanics, he is a clinical partner of iOrthotics, whose custom orthoses and braces he relies on in caring for his patients.