Prempeh, Maxwell A.2024-06-182024-06-182024-06-14https://hdl.handle.net/1794/29545150 pagesMany women find themselves playing in cleats designed to accommodate men’s movements. This has led to a surge of injuries in the lower extremities for women in football that includes ligaments strains and tears in the knees, ankles, and feet. Black women playing at historically black colleges and universities suffer largely from being unsupported, overlooked, and overwhelmingly underfunded. As a result, these institutions find themselves being incapable of replacing damaged cleats for players who are unable to afford new ones, leading them to play in footwear that not only isn’t made for them but, now puts both their health and performance at risk.This research paper will address the designing of cleats that aim to mitigate lower extremity injuries in women’s soccer, while also addressing the sport from a socioeconomic standpoint regarding the lack of diversity and representation in the game. The goal is to address this issue on a foundational level in hopes of seeing this minority continue to make their impacts felt on the highest level.en-USCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USfootballwomen's soccercletessoccer footwearACL tearscompetitive soccerblack womenTerminal Project