Key Takeaways
- Cleats should be snugly fit with the appropriate amount of ankle support and overall movement. Sneakers should have adequate cushion, solid traction, and firm bottom support.
- Low, mid, and high cuts offer various degrees of ankle support and protection against injury.
- Each athlete’s needs are going to be different for every sport. Think about how your body moves and choose a shoe that protects and supports you.
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Choosing the right shoe is important for every athlete.
Beyond just the look of the shoe, athletes need to consider how their legs and ankles move in your footwear, how much support and stability their feet need, and other factors.
Peter Stasko, DPM, is a foot and ankle surgeon with Rochester Regional Health and explains what athletes should be considering when they buy shoes for their sport.
A guide to choosing the right type of athletic shoes
Soccer
More often, soccer cleat manufacturers are making cleats that are designed for turf. Soccer cleats made for turf have specially designed studs that help to prevent knee, foot, and ankle injuries.
Well-fitting cleats are your friend; if your toes are touching the front of the shoe, that means you will have less room to injure your toes with frequent starting and stopping.
Low-mid cuts for soccer cleats are normal, which allow for better flexibility and quicker movements. More designs are starting to wrap up the ankles to prevent twists and sprains.
Basketball
Find a sneaker that has plenty of cushion in the sole; this will help to absorb the shock from frequent jumping with rebounds and jump shots.
Mid-high top cuts for basketball shoes protect against twisted and sprained ankles.
“If your toe is hitting the front of the shoes, you’ll have toe pain,” Dr. Stasko said. “Allow for about a half size worth of movement in your shoe size.
Football
For football players, shoe choice depends on the position being played.
Offensive/defensive line players benefit from wearing mid-high top cleats, which protects their ankles during shuffling movements side to side.
Other positions that require bursts of speed and more ankle movement – like quarterbacks, cornerbacks, and wide receivers – would benefit from cleats that offer more comfort and support.
“More football cleats makers have been opting for mid-cut tops because it allows for both support and movement when players are moving side-to-side or forward/backward throughout the field,” Dr. Stasko said.
Track and cross country
Track athletes gravitate toward spiked cleats – and it’s easy to understand why. The spikes, which are popular, give an excellent grip, while the sole provides firm support and the overall weight of the shoes remains light.
Dr. Stasko offers this technique for testing out a track cleat.
“If you take your hand on the front of the shoe and your other hand on the back of the shoe and try to twist it, something with less flexibility will give you more support.”
For cross country runners, look for a sneaker with adequate cushioning and a firm and supportive design.
Wearing a firm, well-padded shoe will give runners the support they need for their foot’s arch while also helping their shoes last a long time.
Tennis
Tennis players need two main features out of their shoes: firm structure and the right amount of support.
Look for a tennis shoe with a good, padded sole that also has excellent traction. The amount of ankle support depends on the surface the player is competing on. Grass, concrete, or clay, each player can choose the low-mid cut that is most comfortable for them.
“Tennis shoes will need to be changed regularly because of the significant amount of sliding done by the players during matches,” Dr. Stasko said.
Baseball
Players should wear baseball cleats with a mid-ankle cut to help prevent sprains or twists when they are running the bases or shagging fly balls in the outfield.
Like baseball cleats, make sure your toes are touching (but not crowded into) the front of the cleat. If your foot is secure on the shoe, that leaves less room for movement and potential injury.
Volleyball
Choosing volleyball sneakers is like choosing basketball sneakers – players in both sports need proper ankle support to help them avoid sprains and adequate cushioning to absorb the shock of frequent jumping.
Look for a shoe that is comfortable, has the right amount of padding, and mid-cut ankle support to prevent injuries.
Lacrosse
When lacrosse players are looking for shoes, they should look for a firm, supportive cleat.
Cleats with a mid-ankle cut offer just the right amount of support and injury prevention since high-cut cleats can limit movement and low-cut cleats expose the ankle to more injuries.
Similar to soccer and baseball cleats, having a firm sole that limits twisting and protects the structure of the foot will let players run and stop easily without risking injury.
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