Having to break in your new pair of football boots can literally be a pain. So follow this guide, which will help your football boots become more comfortable, quicker.

Many players will now be in pre-season training, looking forward to the new season and often thinking about getting into a new pair of football boots ahead of the campaign.

New football boots can mean sore feet until the boots and your feet get used to each other. Good news is that football boot materials are becoming softer and softer, reducing the time needed for you to ‘break in’ your new football boots. Even so, it’s highly recommended that you wear your football boots in gradually and don’t wear a new pair in a game, as injuries could happen.

Football Boots - How To Break Them In

1. Ensure that your new football boots are the correct size for you, considering length and width. A wrongly sized football boot is a sure fire way to injured feet.

2. Before wearing new football boots, rub Vaseline on all of the contact points on the foot that are susceptible to blistering, such as your toes and heel. This will help reduce friction against your skin.

3. Where possible, try wearing your new football boots to walk around in, such as in the garden or during a walk around the park.

4.  Gradually introduce the football boots during training sessions. Start by aiming for a maximum of twenty minutes of play in your new football boots. Should you start feeling any pain, then change the football boots immediately.

5. Continue wearing your boots to training for progressively longer spells, until the football boots feel very comfortable.

6. If you feel like you are struggling to break the football boots in, try dampening the upper slightly before using them. Do not use very hot water as this can melt the adhesives used on the football boot. Just dampen them lightly with a sponge.

7. After using the football boots, clean any debris or dirt off of the boots with a soft brush or sponge.

8.  Stuff the football boots tightly with newspaper after use, or use a shoe stretcher. This will help keep the football boot in good shape and will help dry the moisture out of the football boots.

9. Let the football boots dry naturally, so not place the football boots near a heater or in direct sunlight.

10. Always stuff your football boots with old newspaper to help mould the boots and keep the shape. Alternatively, by a shoe stretcher from a shoe shop.

It’s repeated, but it’s important. Don’t wear your brand new football boots in a competitive game, it can lead to injury.

Following this guideline will help prevent injury and blisters, when introducing a new football boot.

Also see: Caring for your Football Boots and Caring For Synthetic Leather Football Boots