CONTENTS
It was revealed in July 2024 that the attacking Spanish footballer, Ansu Fati, had sustained a Plantar Fasciitis foot injury, continuing a history of leg and knee injuries.
Here, Daniel Kamenetzky analyses the player’s performance and injury history. He asserts that there is compelling evidence that Fati’s running mechanics and movement patterns are placing excessive strain on different structures in his legs, and the primary contributors to most of his injuries.
Sports performance expert Professor Daniel Kamenetzky is the founder of Spandrel Analytics, providing data-driven sports performance consulting services in professional sport.
Ansu Fati's injuries are intrinsically linked
Frequent injuries are often linked to two primary factors: movement technique and the organisation of the training structure.
For Ansu, it is evident that both his running technique, and other soccer-related techniques, are contributing to excessive strain on his leg structures.
The following video explains the biomechanics and consequences of Ansu Fati’s running technique:
Ansu's current injury
Injury Report
The club and media have reported that Ansu is suffering from plantar fasciitis in his right foot. This condition involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that extends from the heel bone to the toes.Impact of Mechanics
In Ansu’s case, his running and conditioning mechanics are critical factors in his leg injuries. Poor technique or excessive training loads can exacerbate the problem.
Cause of Inflammation
Plantar fasciitis is typically caused by mechanical overloading. This can result from repetitive actions that exceed the tissue’s capacity, whether due to excessive training or improper mechanics.
Training Load & Recent History
Ansu has likely faced a demanding training regimen after returning from a significant injury sustained in November 2023 (unclear if it was a right calf or hamstring injury). He resumed training in February 2024.
His training load may have increased when rejoining FC Barcelona, striving to demonstrate his value to the team.
Biomechanical contributors to plantar fascia injuries
Foot Alignment
The foot is designed to align its longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of movement. This alignment ensures optimal load distribution across the entire structure during activities like walking, running, jumping and pushing.
Role Of Plantar Fascia
When properly aligned, the plantar fascia functions as a spring, absorbing and storing elastic energy during impacts, such as landing from jumps or running.
This stored energy helps reduce the workload on other soft tissues during push-off.
Effects of Misalignment
Deviations from this optimal alignment increases stress on various foot structures, including joints, fascia, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
For example, with the foot rotated outward, as seen in Ansu Fati’s case, the plantar fascia can become improperly compressed and stretched.
This can lead to potential plastic deformations, micro tears, inflammation and severe pain, which can significantly limit movement.
Most likely causes of Fati's injury
1 Incomplete Injury Analysis
There has been an inadequate assessment of his injury history and current physical capacity, which may overlook critical factors in the athlete’s recovery and performance.
2 Incomplete Recovery
Ansu did not fully recover from previous injury, potentially leaving him vulnerable to further issues.
3 Training Priorities
The selection of training priorities has been inadequate, possibly failing to address the most crucial aspects of rehabilitation and conditioning.
4 Training Design
The training program has involved a high volume of intense activities with insufficient progression, which can lead to overuse injuries and inadequate adaptation.
5 Running Biomechanics
Issues with running biomechanics may exacerbate the risk of injury by placing additional strain on vulnerable structures.
6 Overloading Exercises
The chosen exercises may overload structures that are already fatigued due to poor technique and excessive training volume, increasing the risk of injury.
6 Psychological Pressure
High psychological pressure to meet coaching expectations and secure a spot on the team can contribute to stress and performance issues, potentially affecting physical condition and injury risk.
Biomechanics contributing to excessive foot stress
Upon landing with the foot externally rotated (1) and the outer border making contact, the foot tends to rotate inward (2), causing the arch to collapse.
This movement generates significant tensile forces on the plantar fascia.
Under high intensity and repetitive loads, these forces can lead to damage and injury.
Training sessions leading up to the injury
Chronic Mechanical Process Development
The current foot injury is not a new issue but a result of long-term deterioration in the entire leg structure, exacerbated by technical flaws and the training regimen Ansu has followed.
The following video shows Fati in a training session. Pause the video and spot the foot misalignment upon landing…
Esta mañana ha tocado entrenamiento individual con Ansu Fati.
— Jordi Cardero (@jordicardero) July 20, 2024
💪 Fuerza explosiva para presionar, encarar, desmarcarse y finalizar.
👀 ¿Piensa Hansi Flick en un Ansu como punta? pic.twitter.com/xvDOa7Cy9Z
Post-Knee Injury Focus
Since the knee injury sustained in 2019, there should have been a focus on adjusting Ansu’s running mechanics to prevent further issues.
Current Training Emphasis
The current training approach has prioritized regaining strength and speed through high-intensity activities. However, these activities may have contributed significantly to the plantar fasciitis foot injury.
Timing of Training Focus
While training for strength and speed is not inherently incorrect, it may have been an inappropriate focus given Ansu’s current stage of recovery and career needs.
Assessment of Ansu's running mechanics: past & present
Unchanged Running Mechanics
Fati’s running mechanics have remained the same since the knee injury that required multiple surgeries. The necessary adjustments to his technique, which should have been a priority in his training, were never addressed.
Injury Correlation
His previous injuries are closely linked to his running technique, suggesting that unresolved issues in his mechanics have contributed to his injury history.
Technical Performance Correlation
Numerous aspects of Ansu’s running technique, highlighted in several past Spandrel Analytics analyses, appear to be a major, if not the primary, contributor to his history of injuries.
This strong correlation underscores the significant impact of his technical mechanics on his injury pattern.
Longstanding biomechanical inefficiencies
Longstanding biomechanical inefficiencies in Ansu’s running have been overloading his leg structures since childhood.
Running and football-related mechanics typically undergo a crucial learning phase between ages 8 and 10. Neglecting evaluation, control and movement education during this period can lead to performance limitations in competitive adult play.
Key findings from Spandrel Analytics
1 Long-Term Performance Limitations
The current plantar fascia foot injury is a continuation of Ansu long-standing performance limitations, reflecting ongoing issues rather than a new problem.
2 Cumulative Damage
This foot injury is part of a broader pattern of accumulated load that has previously affected other leg structures.
3 Technical Inefficiencies
The overload on Ansu’s legs is likely due to technical inefficiencies present since childhood, which have persisted over time.
4 Training Organisation
Training programs should address Ansu’s technical limitations as a priority, rather than focusing solely on performance metrics.
5 Training Load Management
The design of training load – both in terms of volume and intensity – needs to be adjusted to accommodate Ansu’s recovery needs from past and present injuries.
6 Rehabilitation & Prognosis
The plantar fascia injury has a favourable prognosis for recovery if rehabilitation and training are aligned with his injury history and performance needs, an approach that has not been fully applied yet.
7 Risk of Recurrence
Without a training strategy tailored to Ansu’s specific needs, recurrence of different types of injuries may continue to occur.
Spandrel Analytics' recommendations
1 Injury History Review
Conduct a thorough review of Ansu’s injury history to understand the cumulative effects and inform future strategies.
2 Performance Technique Analysis
Perform an in-depth analysis of all key performance techniques, including running, kicking, jumping and conditioning exercises, to identify areas for improvement.
3 Training & Load Assessment
Collect and analyse historical data on training routines and load intensities to understand their impact on performance and injury risk.
4 Strategy Integration
Use the gathered information to develop strategies for:
- Movement re-education to address technical inefficiencies.
- Building new physiological capacities aligned with improved techniques.
- Integrating these techniques into team training processes.
- Ensuring the transferability of new techniques and physical capacities to competitive performance.
5 Ongoing Monitoring
Implement continuous numerical and video analysis of all training and competition activities to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments.
Optimising sports mechanics: The Spandrel Strategy
Modifying sport techniques, like Ansu’s, is a detailed process that requires step-by-step re-education. Whilst time-consuming, it is straightforward and achievable if approached correctly.
The process involves:
- Understanding the Technique
Thoroughly understanding Ansu’s current execution of frequently performed movements and identified as possible sources of injuries: running is the priority. - Intellectual Learning
Educating the athlete on what he is doing while executing the selected techniques, what needs to be changed and the reasons behind these changes. - Individualised Instruction
Developing and implementing a tailored teaching approach for the new techniques. - Practice & Analysis
Allowing sufficient time for repetition and detailed analysis of each practice session. - Continuous Evaluation
Regularly evaluating and analysing outcomes to assess progress. - Adaptive Strategy
Adjusting the teaching strategy based on results rather than preconceived ideas.
The focus is on the effectiveness of the reeducation process
and its outcomes, not on the coach’s initial assumptions.
Professor Kamenetzky’s full player report on Ansu Fati’s plantar fasciitis injury can be viewed and downloaded on the Spandrel Analytics website.
