Despite making up one-third of a footballer’s uniform, socks are often overlooked. However, socks have come a long way in terms of design and style, with players now able to pick from a range of colours and designs. Some are even printed with a team’s logo or mascot.
Having the right pair of football socks can make a significant difference to a player’s performance. In addition to providing cushioning, comfort and protection, they also enhance grip and traction when running, cutting and changing direction.
In order to improve their performance, some footballers use a unique product called Trusox. These socks feature rubber ‘dots’ lining both the inside and outside of the sock, increasing the grip inside shoes and eliminating foot slippage. This revolutionary product was created by a former baseball player and minor league minor, Jim Cherneski, who wanted to eliminate foot slipping in his shoe while playing baseball. It soon caught on and is now used by footballers, as well as athletes in other sports such as cricket and rugby.
Using a pair of Trusox can improve a player’s grip by up to 50%, according to research published in the Journal of Sports Sciences and Medicine. The study tested a group of amateur recreational footballers who completed a series of movement courses while wearing either no socks, a pair of regular cotton soccer socks, or a pair of specialised grip socks with Trusox. The participants’ running times to complete each of the three trials were compared, with running speed and perceived effort rated on 150 mm visual analogue scales. sport socks football