How to Buy Tennis Shoes

Tennis shoes are a little different than other shoes, because of the tremendous need for lateral support. Unlike a running shoe, where the concern is mostly for forward motion, tennis shoes must endure the constant action of sideways starts and stops. Also, tennis shoes will usually have reinforced toe and heel pads because of the fact that tennis players will often drag the toe or heel of the shoe across the court creating a lot of wear and tear in those areas.

Basketball athletic shoes are similar, however most basketball sneakers have a higher top, and tennis shoes are almost always a low or mid top to allow for maximum range of motion in the ankle. Tennis players don’t want to feel any resistance when changing direction.

Fitting tennis athletic footwear is a lot like fitting any other shoes. When you try the shoes on, put on both pair and walk around a little bit. Stand in a stance like you would playing tennis and move side to side, jump a little bit and run a short distance. Try to get the feel of them on a hard surface so you can see how they grip the floor.

Make sure that your heel does not slip, but also ensure that your toes are not hitting the front of the toe box. If the shoe seems to otherwise fit, but your heel is still slipping, make sure you have used all the eyelets at the top of the laces. If the shoe is still slipping even when properly laced, then try a different brand or size.

The sneaker should fit snug without pinching across the widest part of your foot. If a shoe pinches your toes, the result can be anything from bunions to stress fractures. The foot depends on a certain range of motion to operate properly during a step, and the footwear you choose should enhance and support that range of motion, not inhibit it.

Quality tennis footwear will generally have a flatter, tighter design to the pattern on the sole for traction. Unlike running footwear, which has knobby waffles all over the bottom, a tennis sneaker is more likely to have smaller more closely spaced grips. The reason for this is that tennis is always played on a hard flat surface, so maximum contact with the court is both possible and desirable.

You will also notice that usually tennis shoes are wider and flatter, with a lower heel than a basketball shoe or running sneaker. This is because tennis involves a lot more lateral motion, and a high heel would create the likelihood for the ankle to roll over very easily.

Because tennis does not require nearly as much vertical jumping as basketball, or the repetitive forward impact of running, jogging and track sports, the additional cushioning under the heel is not necessary. Most of the support and cushioning in a tennis shoe will be located towards the front, under the pad of the foot where all the tarsals meet the metatarsals.

Shopping for footwear online can offer many benefits, such as finding quality discount footwear. When online shoe shopping, always make sure to deal with a reputable company and website, like www.housershoes.com. Familiarize yourself with the return policy of any online store you deal with, and make sure you know all the shipping costs involved. Again, dealing with reputable online shoe stores is the way to ensure a professional experience.