How to Break in Soccer Cleats on Concrete

Soccer cleats are one of the most important pieces of equipment a player uses. When you wear new cleats on the field without breaking in the shoes, you risk severely injuring yourself in the form of blisters and even torn skin. As the cleats rub against your feet, it causes a small wound that eventually breaks open, leaving you susceptible to infection. If you only have hard surfaces like concrete available, then you need to break in the shoes on the firm ground.

Things You'll Need

  • Soccer cleats
  • Petroleum jelly
  • Socks
  • Cool water
  • Soft cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put the cleats on and walk around your home. Check for any signs that the cleats do not fit properly, including pinching or rubbing. The shoes must be the proper size for your feet in terms of both length and width because you cannot break in shoes that are too small or too large.

    • 2

      Scrape a small amount of the petroleum jelly from the jar and rub against your heels. Rub more petroleum jelly on your toes. Use more on any areas where your feet rub against the shoes, as the jelly softens your skin and reduces the risk of blisters.

    • 3

      Carefully put on socks, making sure that the socks do not rub off any of the petroleum jelly, and put your cleats on over the socks. Wear the shoes while walking around your house before taking the cleats outside to the concrete.

    • 4

      Wipe the upper area of the cleats with cool water. Wipe off any excess water with a soft cloth. The cool water softens the cleats and makes them mold to your own feet faster than when wearing dry shoes. Add a little more water every day until the shoes feel comfortable.

    • 5

      Walk around on the concrete for five to 10 minutes on the first day. Gradually increase the amount of time you wear the shoes every day by five additional minutes. Once the cleats mold to your feet and feel comfortable, then wear them on the field.