During this year World Cup, one scene is repeated match after match: several players go onto the pitch with holes in their calves. Social media is full of theories about the alleged competitive advantage this could provide them. But the practice is not recent. This has been seen at the European Championships, Olympic Games and other international competitions over the last decade. However, science has yet to find evidence that it improves performance.
Professional football socks are designed to fit your figure. In addition to keeping the shin guards in place, they provide ankle, arch and calf support; they facilitate wick away moisture and limit the movement of the foot inside the cleat, improving stability. This design principle was used in professional football for decades. Although materials have evolved and become lighter and more robust, they still rely primarily on synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon and spandex.
However, many players complained that the socks were too tight and caused tingling and numbness in the calf area. The discomfort is so great that halfway through the game they cut several holes in the calf area to “relieve the tension” and run better.
This feeling has a biomechanical basis. When sprinting or changing direction, the largest calf muscle contracts and increases in thickness to create force that propels the athlete forward. This shape change happens thousands of times during the game. For some people, repeated expansion of the muscle is enough to create a tight feeling as the sock exerts constant pressure on the calf.
Over time, the practice of cutting holes in socks has gained an almost intuitive explanation among players themselves: cutting the material allows the muscles to “breathe”, relieving pressure and reducing the likelihood of pain or cramps. However, sports medicine and recovery specialists point out that there is no research showing that cutting holes in socks brings any benefits. In fact, many studies on compression garments have shown that properly designed and fitted can facilitate reduce muscle inflammation after intense exercise.
Despite the lack of evidence regarding physiological benefits, the practice continues to spread among professional soccer players. Today it is considered primarily an anecdotal phenomenon, based on each player’s experience personal experience not scientific evidence. Moreover, the rules of the game do not prohibit the modification of socks, as long as the equipment remains secure and the shin guards are properly covered. (However, a footballer cannot play in a torn shirt.)
Given the lack of scientific evidence, several experts believe that part of this phenomenon can be explained by the player’s own perception of comfort. In competitive sports, a person’s sense of comfort can influence the confidence with which an athlete competes. If a soccer player feels that a particular item of clothing is restricting, eliminating the discomfort he feels may make him feel more at ease when running, accelerating or changing direction – even if his performance remains objectively unchanged.
While there is no evidence that cutting your socks gives you a competitive advantage or reduces your risk of injury, that doesn’t mean the discomfort is imaginary. The perception of pressure, restriction or comfort depends on many factors, ranging from anatomy and individual sensitivity to the athlete’s past experience. In other words, two players may react differently when wearing the exact same gear.
For now, it looks like sock cutting will continue. The available evidence points to a mechanism similar to other sports rituals: its effect is primarily psychological, not necessarily physiological.
This article originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.