Polson, MT – July 21, 2025 – Cluffy Insoles has released groundbreaking data from a study focused on the performance and injury-prevention benefits of their insoles in wrestling athletes. The study spans internal testing, field trials with high school and club athletes, and additional research with cheerleaders, strength and conditioning athletes, and skiers, all pointing to clear advantages in balance, strength, and knee stability.
Wrestling is a physically demanding sport with a high rate of sprains and strains, especially to the ankle. Traditional braces and insoles have failed to meet the needs of wrestlers due to poor fit in wrestling shoes and limited mobility. Cluffy began examining wrestling use cases in 2023 after seeing early advantages in local athletes. Their testing process compared performance in regular wrestling shoes with the shoe liner to the same shoe fitted with the Cluffy insole. Tests were done both with and without the insoles, and order of testing did not affect results.
The insole fit well in all wrestling shoes tested, with only minor modifications needed in some models. From the outset, athletes showed noticeable improvements in balance and strength. These early findings prompted additional testing across local wrestling clubs and high schools in 2023, confirming initial results. By 2024, usage among wrestlers expanded.
Cluffy tested eighteen wrestlers for balance in forward, backward, and side-to-side scenarios. Results were clear: wrestlers required over 100% more force to be pulled forward off balance, over 91% more to be pulled backward, and 31% more to be displaced side to side. In hand-fighting positions, 31% more force was needed to pull them off balance forward.
Testing extended to eleven strength and conditioning athletes, eleven cheerleaders, and fourteen skiers. Athletes tested in their normal sport-specific positions showed similar improvements. For example, skiers showed a 64% improvement in side-to-side balance, and strength athletes averaged a 39% increase in force required to push or pull them off balance. Tests used the same shoes with and without Cluffy insoles to ensure accuracy.
Knee stability testing involved placing athletes in a lunge position. Seven wrestlers and eleven strength athletes were tested for medial and lateral displacement. Results showed 28% more force required to displace the knee laterally and 29% medially, indicating a more stable joint and lower injury risk.
In single limb balance tests, cheer athletes could not be pulled off balance without nearly doubling the force. Four athletes required nearly two and a half times more force to displace them when using the insoles. Since wrestlers often compete in single-leg stances, these findings hold relevance.
Y balance test determines athletes likelihood of injury. a decrease or an increase in reach would indicate risk would change accordingly. This test was on cheer athletes according to published standards. Tests included anterior balance, posterior medial balance and posterior lateral balance on both legs. The average increase in reach for all 6 tests was 2.6 cm., over 1 inch. The total increased reach of all 6 test was 15.5 cm., over 6 inches and 7 out of 8 athletes showed a net gain in overall reach with the Cluffy Sport insoles in their shoes.
Female cheer athletes also showed significant improvements in pelvic tilt, knee position, foot posture, and accuracy of foot placement during single limb hop tests with the Cluffy insoles.
Upper body isometric strength testing in strength and ski athletes showed improvements of 14% in the biceps (SC), 41% (skiers), 38% in shoulder abductors (SC), and 35% in the same group among skiers. Anterior shoulder muscles improved 14% in strength athletes. Average upper body strength gains were 32%.
Lower body testing showed a 29% improvement in hip abductors, 35% in hamstrings, and 25–41% in hip flexors. Lower body strength also improved by an average of 32%.
All tests were conducted internally by Cluffy. Across all athlete types tested, no other insole, custom or over-the-counter, had any measurable impact on performance metrics. Cluffy insoles consistently provided dramatic benefits.
Cluffy concludes that their insole provides significant improvements in forward (>100%), backward (>91%), and side-to-side (29%) balance, and improves hand-fighting stability in wrestlers. Knee stability testing infers a lower likelihood of knee injury. Isometric strength gains of 32% could offer a direct competitive advantage on the mat. Balance improvements in strength athletes averaged 39% in lifting positions.
Based on this comprehensive data, Cluffy believes the Cluffy Sport insole is a powerful performance and injury-prevention tool that fits easily into wrestling shoes and replaces the existing sock liner. Coaches, athletes, and parents now have access to a proven product that supports athletic excellence and durability across every level of wrestling.
Media Contact:
Cluffy Insoles
info@cluffy.com
www.cluffy.com
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