There is a risk of injury with every sport, on every surface. But the fact is that risk increases when the playing field is artificial turf. Studies have found a higher incidence of surface to skin injuries and muscle strains and spasms on artificial turf. We looked at the dangers of surface to skin injuries in the last two posts, with both sanitary and heat-related injuries.

In the 2010 NFL Players Association Playing Surfaces survey, over 82% of players indicated they agree that there is a higher incidence of injury on artificial turf surfaces compared to natural turf. When asked which surfaces contributed to muscle soreness and fatigue, 89% responded “artificial turf.”

It’s not just opinion however. A five year study of eight high schools reported that athletes incurred more injuries on artificial turf surfaces. Of every ten games played, athletes incurred injuries 15.2 percent of the time when playing on artificial turf versus 13.9 percent of the time when playing on natural turf.

As Anaheim Angels’ Troy Glaus said after sustaining an injury on artificial turf in 2004, “You can’t simulate grass. No matter what you do, you can’t fake it…”

While it doesn’t approach the 4 digit temperatures endured by firewalkers, artificial turf gets significantly hotter than natural turfgrass, hot enough to cause skin injuries. This is yet another player safety factor which turf managers need to consider when installing artificial turf.

Studies conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University revealed that surface temperatures of artificial turf can climb upwards of 86° higher than those of natural turf. On a day with an average air temperature of 81° Fahrenheit, the researchers took surface temperature readings of asphalt and readings on both artificial and natural turf surfaces. They discovered that the synthetic turf had a surface temperature 37° higher than asphalt and 86.5° degrees higher than natural grass. Probing two inches below the artificial turf surface, they found the temperature was 28.5° high than that of the natural turf at the surface.

Irrigating the artificial turf surface cooled it from 174°F to 85°F, but five minutes later the temperature rose to 120°F. After twenty minutes, the cooling effect was almost gone as temperatures reached 164°F. Significant? It is when you consider that when temperatures reach 122°F it takes less than 10 minutes to cause injury to the skin.

Artificial turf – that’s hot stuff!

What could possibly be dirtier than dirt? The infill of an artificial turf field. The subject of physical and environmental health dangers for artificial turf has been tossed around like pigskin on Super Bowl Sunday.

The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) even produced a fact sheet for the state urging caution with regard to artificial turf. “A modern artificial field surface has three layers – drainage, shock absorbing, and surface. The surface has polyethylene plastic blades that simulate grass and a several inch layer of “infill” that keeps the blades upright. The infill varies by manufacturer and may include ground-up recycled tires, ground-up soles of athletic shoes, silica sand, and/or new thermoplastic or rubber material. This “crumb rubber” has been found to contain toxic materials such as:

• Toxic metals including zinc, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium which have many harmful effects on humans and the environment.

• Carcinogens including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

• Latex and other rubbers which can cause allergic reactions.

• Phthalates which have adverse effects on the reproductive organs, lungs, kidneys and liver.

Crumb rubber can degrade from weather and microbes, producing new chemicals. Toxic components can be breathed in, accidentally ingested, contact the skin, and leach into surface water and groundwater.”

In addition to these inherent dangers, there are safety issues related to field cleanliness. The field surface must be properly sanitized following each use. Failure to do so leaves players open to the risk of contracting Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections when they sustain turf burns. MRSA is a drug-resistant bacteria that has been the subject of several studies as it has become increasingly common among healthy athletes. MRSA does not discriminate, athletes from the amateur to the professional levels, and of all ages, have been infected and some cases have turned deadly. The highly-contagious pathogen is easily passed from one person to another. For example, one player can suffer an artificial turf burn, have it bandaged and then remove the bandage in the locker room or shower and toss it on the ground. Someone else comes along in bare feet and steps on the bandage. “It can happen that easily,” explained Ron Courson, head athletic trainer at the University of Georgia, in a 2004 Athletic Turf article.

Installing a synthetic turf field can cost as much as ten times more than planting natural grass. So to justify the expense, proponents of artificial turf often cite lower maintenance costs over the life of the field as a benefit. But is it?

While the annual maintenance costs may be lower, the savings are offset by the cost of the initial installation and subsequent replacement. The lifespan of an artificial field is approximately 8 – 10 years. When the installation cost is added to annual maintenance costs for the life of the artificial field, the average cost per year to operate an artificial turf field has been calculated at anywhere from 25% to 81% higher.

Renovating the field at the end of its short life requires disposing of the non-organic materials used to create the field, including the crumb-rubber material typically used as infill and top-dressing which may require special disposal measures and fees.

So don’t be fooled by claims of low maintenance costs, add them up yourself and measure the average cost per year – that’s what makes dollars and sense.