How do Czech floorball hopefuls Radka and Simona Korbelářová approach foot recovery?

There is little doubt that the entire Czech floorball community has heard of the Korbelář's sisters. As have many outside it. Radka and Simona show great promise and are united by their love for floorball, but also by their diligence and desire to constantly push themselves. However, all that hard work also takes its toll on the body, which needs to be taken care of. What is their training process like, can you make a living from floorball in the Czech Republic and what is their approach to a full recovery, especially the feet? We talked about this and much more in our interview.

What is the training regime for floorball players at the highest level?

At the moment we’re in the summer training phase, so fitness and strength training predominate. We work out 3 times a week in the gym with our fitness trainer and 2 times a week we go to Střešovice in Prague for team training. We also have a weekly block of running and individual skill training.

Over the season, which is from September to April, there are obviously more floorball training sessions and weekend matches.

Is it possible to make a living in women's floorball in the Czech Republic? How does the Czech Republic compare with abroad? Can it be fitted around studies?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to make a living from floorball in the Czech Republic. But abroad the prospects are slightly different – it’s possible to combine it with a part-time job. But you can't even think about these semi-professional conditions, not even in the top level of the women's game here in the Czech Republic.

It is possible to combine studies and sports. It simply requires better time management and the ability to spread your energy between training and school. Here in the Czech Republic, floorball is an amateur sport, so floorball players have to think like other non-athletes and choose an occupation that will support them.

Which part of the body gets the most strain during floorball? What about footwear? What do you play in?

Floorball probably puts most stress on the joints of the lower limbs, especially the knees and ankles. This is due to the sport’s speed, where players change direction frequently and suddenly. Personally, we go through shoes very quickly, so it is essential for us to have several pairs of indoor shoes for the season. We have a lot of experience with this particular issue, and it pays to invest money in good-quality shoes rather than letting our feet suffer for up to 4 hours a day in unsuitable shoes.

How do you recover after training or a match?

We mostly pay attention to the basics, such as quality sleep, a balanced diet and compensatory exercises, which are important for us because floorball is a one-sided sport.

How long and how regularly have you been wearing Foot Alignment Socks? What do they most help you with?

We've been using Foot Alignment Socks for over a year now and it's been a big game changer for us in terms of recovery and foot health. To start with, we only wore the socks for a few minutes a day, but over time we used them overnight. The big advantage of this recovery aid is that you can use it almost anytime, whenever you have a moment to “put your feet up”. For example, we use them during long trips back from training or a match. Using them regularly has helped us treat a fatigue fracture of the metatarsal and relieve heel spurs.

What else do you do for your feet?

Usually, we try to go barefoot as much as possible. Simona recently bought some barefoot shoes. We have also been practicing cold exposure training for years, which has fantastic results.

Would you recommend Foot Alignment Socks to other athletes? Why?

We’d recommend the socks not just to athletes, but also to anyone who is on their feet all day and has a lot of strain on their feet.

We don’t think that many people have these socks in their “recovery kit” and they aren’t so well known in the sports world. But they are an aid that can take the R&R process to a new level, and with a minimum of effort.

Finally, could you please tell us what your sporting goals are?

Radka: I’d like to achieve as much success in floorball as I can. Be it the dream to win the Czech Extraliga or to play in the prestigious Swedish league. But mainly I want to play floorball as long as possible.

Simona: I play floorball simply because I love it so much. And that's my goal for the future. If you do what you love and work at it, then you are guaranteed to have some degree of success.

Our thanks go to both young ladies for the interview and we wish them all the best in floorball and in life, good health and that they continue doing what they love for as long as possible.