"Twenty-six years after hanging up my own soccer cleats, and after nearly 2 decades of surgical and clinical practice, I’m proud to see something I’ve long advocated for finally taking hold: shoe companies are beginning to recognize that women deserve cleats designed for their anatomy... What I’ve learned through these collaborations, and what I’ve observed in my practice, confirms a simple truth: when cleats are designed for women, they not only fit better, but I feel they may also improve performance and reduce injury risk."

"A British government report last spring stated that the rise in knee injuries was due to systemic gender inequality in sports and specifically cited the lack of footwear designed for women. Sharples, the Kansas City Current defender, now wears cleats manufactured by a Maryland company called Caddix. CEO Jack Rasmussen, once a college football punter, says for too long, the issue has been ignored. 'The common denominator is the cleats. So I wanted to give athletes a chance to lengthen their career and have safer games and practices. I just think it's wrong.'"

"When you're planting your foot, the cleats do shift a little bit. They spin a little bit. I think the bigger thing is the fact that they shift a little bit. So when you put your cleat in the turf, especially for these skilled positions, these DBs, your receivers, all these guys have to make quick stops and starts, it's taking some of the force out of that. You can't feel it when you're wearing them. So, it's not really taking away from your performance. It's just giving you that little piece of mind that maybe some of these noncontact lower body injuries can be diminished."

"Rasmussen's Caddix is currently online and growing, receiving support and assistance from aforementioned names like Sharples from the Kansas City Current who is an investor in the company. Also notably along for the ride are former Baltimore Raven Tight End legends Todd Heap and Super Bowl Champion Dennis Pitta, who are investors in Caddix and serve on the company's advisory board with Sharples."

"'Non-contact knee injuries are (increasing), you see it every day. Kids are getting faster and stronger, and they're playing more sports. So, (they play) more time on the field. It's just inevitable that it's going to happen,' said Cody Larkin, the junior varsity lacrosse coach at Mount St. Joseph. 'So, if you could put something on your feet that's going to decrease it, why would you not?'"

"'As a professional athlete who has faced non-contact injuries throughout my NFL career, I truly appreciate the groundbreaking technology and benefits that Caddix cleats offer,' Pitta stated. 'By prioritizing innovation, safety and performance, Caddix is revolutionizing sports equipment, setting a new standard for player protection and performance enhancement. Their commitment to research-driven science and uncompromising testing have raised the bar for player safety without compromising on-field performance. Caddix is reshaping the game and redefining what it means to compete at the highest level, and I am honored to join the revolution.'"

"Two Baltimore Ravens legends who know one bad play can ruin a season have invested in a new cleat company that they hope can reduce serious sports injuries. Todd Heap, who spent ten seasons with the Ravens, and fellow former Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta are investors in Caddix."

"Rasmussen’s cleat uses Caddix SmartStuds to reduce the rotational force responsible for knee and ankle injuries — the highest burden of injury in terms of time lost among NFL players, according to league data.

About a decade ago, Rasmussen was sitting at home watching football with his dad and Caddix’s co-founder, Jeff, when a player’s foot cut into the grass and his knee gave out. Watching an open-field ACL tear on TV felt like a call to action."

"Caddix cleats, a new athletic footwear brand designed to mitigate wear and tear on a player’s lower body, announced that former Ravens Todd Heap and Dennis Pitta will become majority investors in the company and take on an advisory role. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Caddix founder and CEO Jack Rasmussen said the duo will be majority investors for the next three years and assist in multiple ways, including product testing, design and player engagement."

"Although they're rivals, some of the biggest names in footwear like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour all have something in common: they've worked with I-Generator, perhaps one of the most ubiquitous apparel design and engineering firms you've never heard of."

"The ‘Caddix Cleats’ are designed with ‘SmartStud’ technology that is designed to mitigate wear and tear on the ankles and knees. The on-field shoes are currently in the early stages of development and rollout but they could quite literally change the game in a really positive way.

Studs in/on a standard cleat are fixed to the sole. They don’t move.

Caddix is different in that way. Their cleats have some give to them. The studs move ever so slightly to reduce impact on the knees and ankles by decreasing rotational force before it moves up the leg."

"The concept for these cleats is simple. Instead of having studs that are meant to stick into the ground and put unnecessary pressure on an athlete’s knee as they’re trying to turn, Caddix cleats have patented “SmartStuds” that can flex in any direction as an athlete is cutting and turning without losing any speed.

The movement of these studs helps reduce:

• The force put on a player’s knee
• The risk of severe, non-contact knee injuries"