Are Your Tennis Shoes Ruining Your Game?

October 2nd, 2008 | Tennis, Tips and Tricks

One of the biggest problems facing beginning players is right under their nose, and they may not even realize what may be holding them back from success. The shoes you wear on the court can have a big impact on the way that you play the game and if you’re not wearing the right ones, chances are you are missing out on some great opportunities to advance your game and take it to the next level.

Perhaps the main reason behind this issue is the fact that term “tennis” shoe is so widely overused. Any kind of athletic shoe can be called a tennis shoe, but that doesn’t mean that it was made for the sport. If you’re wearing the wrong kind of shoe, this can lead to blisters, ankle problems, shin splints and a host of other medical issues. In addition to these problems, the wrong shoes may be holding you back from getting to the net in time, pivoting quickly or making those really tough shots.

When you’re shopping for tennis shoes, it is important to make sure that they actually are “tennis” shoes. Look for K-Swiss shoes, or other popular brands such as Nike. You can ask the clerk to help you find tennis specific shoes, but we highly recommend researching shoes online before you even set foot in a store. This will help you know exactly what to look for, and you’ll have a lot of the guesswork taken out of your shopping excursion.

It may be necessary to try a few brands of tennis shoes before you find the one that is right for your feet. If you have issues with pronation, either over or under, this may mean that you will need a special kind of shoe. Pronation refers to how your feet look when you are standing upright. If they go to the outside, this is under pronating. If they go in, that’s over pronating. Not having shoes that correct this problem can lead to back, foot and leg pain.

You should avoid purchasing used tennis shoes for many reasons, even if they are cheaper. It’s easy enough to find some great deals online for slightly used tennis shoes and many people will be tempted to get them since they are priced so low. However, once you wear a tennis shoe, even once, it begins to mold to the shape of your foot. If you haven’t broken that shoe in on your own, it will be set up for someone else’s feet. That means you could be throwing off your entire stance, and your game could suffer as a result.

Proper footwear is the key in many sports and it is particularly important when you are playing tennis. It is best to save up for a really great pair of shoes than to go with cheap shoes that may not be intended for actual tennis. Your feet, and your game will thank you if you hold out for the right pair of shoes.

Photo Credits: 1