No, your tennis shoes are not okay to go running in. It’s pretty common for people to think that one pair of sneakers is versatile enough to use in any sport, but that is far from the truth. By doing this, you are putting yourself at risk for injury. You don’t want that now, do you? That’s why we’re asking…
What Do Your Athletic Shoes Do For You?
Running Shoes
Running puts a huge amount of pressure on your feet due to the impact of your foot hitting the ground. Because of this, your running shoes are designed to have maximum shock absorption for your foot. They should also have good heel control. If you have the right shoe, you could ultimately be preventing shin splints, tendonitis, heel pain, stress fractures, and a long list of other possible injuries.
Walking Shoes
For walking, you’re going to need a lightweight shoe with extra shock absorption in the heel and under the ball of your foot. This is going to help prevent any extra heel pain or burning that might occur on the ball of your foot (metatarsalgia). A rocker bottom is also preferred so that you’re smoothly shifting the weight from one point of your foot to the next.
Aerobic Shoes
To avoid foot fatigue you will need lightweight shoes while doing your aerobic conditioning. You also definitely need to have extra shock absorption in the sole under the ball of your foot since that’s where the most stress occurs on your foot. On a side note, you may want to consider working out on a carpet – this is much easier on your feet!
Tennis Shoes
With all of the rapid, random movements that a tennis player endures, they need shoes that can keep up. So, support on the inside and outside of the foot is a must. They should also have flexibility in the sole under the ball of their foot for all of those quick forward movements towards the net. It’s okay to lack a little shock absorption in these shoes because the court will take care of that for you.
Basketball Shoes
If you’re going to be shooting hoops, you’re going to want to have a thick, stiff sole for extra stability when your sprinting down the court. High-top shoes are preferred for support when you land after dunking the ball. This way you won’t end up with a sprained ankle.
Cross Trainers
Cross-training shoes are a combination of a bunch of different features so that you can participate in more than one sport. This type of shoe should be flexible in the forefoot for running but also have lateral control for things such as aerobics or tennis.
Getting Professional Treatment
It is always our express intent to recommend that you take no chances with foot pain, ankle or knee pain, or injuries. Professional treatment to relieve the pain is available from doctors such as Delray Beach’s Dr. Ian Goldbaum of Delray Beach Podiatry, who has provided us with this blog. If the pain continues, a podiatrist with Dr. Goldbaum’s experience should be consulted. You must get proper treatment to prevent permanent damage. Also consider having a walk analysis done.
Our Staff writers are freelance writers with higher education related to, or experience researching and writing for, medical blogs; with education or experience equal to under graduate and graduate degrees in the fields of medicine.
Related articles
No responses yet