Artificial Turf Injury Risk Review Finds Mixed Results Across Sports

A 2023 systematic review by MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and Georgetown University examined 53 peer‑reviewed studies on artificial turf versus natural grass published between 1972 and 2020. Overall injury rates were broadly similar: about half of the 31 studies found no significant difference, 35.5% reported higher rates on turf and 12.9% reported higher rates on grass.

Knee injury rates were also comparable overall, but higher‑level football players were more likely to sustain knee injuries on artificial turf. Foot and ankle injuries showed the clearest excess on turf, with 58.3% of studies reporting higher rates, a pattern that persisted across both old‑ and new‑generation surfaces. For soccer on new‑generation turf, knee and hip injury rates were similar to grass, and most recent studies (13 of 18) found overall injury rates comparable, suggesting improvements in turf technology.

The review did not perform a quantitative meta‑analysis because of heterogeneity in study designs, sports, and methodologies. Only two of the included articles were randomized controlled trials, limiting the strength of conclusions.