Why Picking the Right Court Shoe is So Important
February 16th, 2012
Picking the correct shoe for the activity you enjoy can be complicated, but necessary. What is most important is identifying the movements you make during the activity, and matching them to the specifications of a shoe, for example, court shoes.
When playing tennis, the most important aspect of the shoe is the lateral stability. When playing tennis, lateral movement, otherwise known as side-to-side motion is the most common movement the lower body creates during the point. A regular running shoe is only made to cushion forward movement, which would be ok for tennis if the ball was hit to the same spot every time. By putting extra emphasis on the sides of the shoe, there is some weight added and the shoes may not feel like feathers on your feet, but the chances of turning an ankle or dealing with a foot injury decrease.
There are also durability concerns, which is why non-court shoes get torn up and require replacement much more than court shoes. The makers of the footwear know how a tennis player moves, and how the shoe will respond when placed under constant stress in the same area.
Most frequently, the toe area is where the shoe is most worn out, and most companies will use a more dense material to elongate the life of the shoe. Even though it may add a little weight, the money saved on shoe replacements and the extra tread will make your tennis experience much more enjoyable.
Another disadvantage of wearing running shoes to play tennis is the damage that is left on the court. Non-tennis shoes tend to mark up the court, leaving ugly black lines that quickly turn a new court into a used up eyesore.
Finding the correct court shoes can be simple; there are many brands like Adidas, Babolat, Asics, and K-Swiss that carry court specific shoes for affordable prices. Once you have found a brand that fits your foot width, length, and level of pronation, you’re ready to take the court.
If you enjoyed this article, here are some others you may enjoy..
- The Difference Between Tennis Shoes and Tennis Shoes for the Tennis Player
- Tennis shoes were a little different when I was playing in the juniors
- Where have all the tennis shoes gone?
