Under floor foam prevents sports injuries

A Zotefoams product story

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Sep 23, 2005

Leading floor manufacturers have developed flooring systems specifically for sports applications by building-in spring/rebound using Evazote EV50 from Zotefoams, the UK based foam technologists.

Research into sports injuries indicates that the majority occur during indoor sports and unsuitable floors are thought to be responsible for many of these incidents.

Some of the world's leading floor manufacturers have developed flooring systems specifically for sports applications by building-in spring/rebound using Evazote EV50 from Zotefoams, the UK based foam technologists.

This gives the floor a degree of elasticity or "give", and helps reduce the 'jarring' of limbs and joints during active sports.

Evazote EV50 is a closed cell, cross linked ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer foam that combines the required compression stress characteristics with outstanding long term resistance to compression set, making it ideal for this and many other similar applications.

It is so designed that, providing the foam is only partially compressed under load, it able repeatedly to return to within 2% its original dimension when the load is removed.

As a direct result of its unique, nitrogen saturation manufacturing process, the foam has an extremely regular cell structure that gives it its exceptional and consistent shock absorption/rebound characteristics that are maintained throughout its life.

By incorporating the Evazote EV50 within routed channels under the floor, or interspersing the foam with solid blocks of around 66% of the thickness of the foam, the floor is able to take the heavy loads imposed when temporary stands and seating are installed, without fully compressing the foam.

When the load is removed, the foam returns to its original height and the spring or "give" returns to the floor.

Foams from Zotefoams are used in a variety of sports protection applications from football shin guards through cricket pads and gloves, to judo mats but the sports floor is one application where sports enthusiasts are being protected without their knowledge.