Home | Physical Activities & Sports | Tennis
Tennis is all about balance. You need to maintain good balance when you swing. You have to strike a balance between power and control on your shots. But did you know that choosing the right pair of shoes plays a vital role in helping you achieve balance? Having ill-fitting shoes can also lead to blisters, ankle and knee pain as well as loss of movement on the court. Hence, it is imperative for tennis players to know how to select the perfect pair of tennis shoes. Knowing your foot type is the first step in finding the right shoe. There are three basic foot types: suprinated, pronators and neutral. While it is always advisable to consult a podiatrist, you can actually determine your foot type at home — simply by taking a close look at your footprint right after you take a shower. A crescent-shaped footprint with little or no impression made by your arch is representative of a supinated foot. Supinators tend to wear out the outside part of the bottom of their shoes (the lateral side) before the medial (big toe) side. Having wide feet, they should look shoes that provide extra room in the forefoot and toe box and one that provides extra cushioning to compensate for their high arches. A wet mark on the floor that's completely filled in — arch and all — means you have a pronated foot. Pronators often have flat feet, and the medial portion of their shoe bottom wears down before the lateral part. People with this foot type often need extra support from their tennis shoes so a mid-cut model or a shoe with extra stability on the medial side is usually a wise choice. If you're one of the few people who leave a wet footprint with a moderate amount of arch, you have a neutral foot. Players with neutral feet can play tennis in almost any shoe. Now that you know your foot type, the next question you need to answer is how heavy should your tennis shoes be? The stop-and-start demands of tennis require that shoes have ample cushioning, extra support, and more durable outsoles, all of which add weight. While having light shoes is ideal (the lighter your shoes, the faster you can zip around the court), you should not be quick to rule out the advantages of relatively heavy shoes. Manufacturers often use an hourglass-shaped outsole design for some models in a bid to make their shoes lighter in weight. But this may move the shoe's flex point toward the middle of the shoe, near your arch, rather than at the ball of the foot, where your foot naturally bends. Consider owning two pairs of tennis shoes: a lighter game-day shoe and a heavier training shoe (this technique has been used by distance runners for years). If you practice in a heavier shoe and play your matches in a lighter shoe, you'll feel quicker in competition and you'll go through your shoes more slowly while you're at it. Understanding the design of the shoe can also help you make the right decision in choosing the right pair of tennis shoes. The top portion of the shoe, or the upper, is usually made of leather, synthetic leather, or a combination of materials. If you need extra support, look for lacing systems that thread into reinforcements going down the sides of the shoe; they'll provide added stability. The insole is portion of the shoe where your foot rests on, and it's the least technical part of the operation. If you've had foot problems and wear orthotics, check to see if the insole is removable. In most cases it will be — thus allowing you to replace a worn-out insole with an over-the-counter one that provides extra cushioning. The midsole is the section that lies between the shoe bottom and the insole. It's generally made from ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) foam or polyurethane (PU) and in many cases is supplemented by air or gel inserts. The midsole supplies the shoe's cushioning. The outsole, on the other hand, is that part of the shoe where the rubber meets the surface. Needless to say, its design affects the traction you'll get on hard and clay courts. Hence, an outsole should be durable enough to stand up to your style of game. If you play often or wear out shoes quickly, look for heavy-duty outsoles and try to get a pair with an outsole warranty.
Article Source: http://www.approvedarticles.com
Please Rate this Article
5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
