Tennis Shoes for Women
Shoes constitute an important item in tennis equipments. Selecting the right pair of shoes is essential for easy movements in the court well as prevention of injuries.
How do Tennis Shoes Influence the Game
Carefully manufactured pair of shoes can help the athlete in the following ways:
- Providing comfort
- Provide stability of movement
- Reduce impacts
- Provide friction.
How Women’s Shoes are Different
Earlier manufacturers used to market just smaller versions of men’s shoes for women. These days considerable research has gone into the production of shoes. Women’s shoes manufactured today are different from men’s in that they have wider forefoot and narrower heels. In the case of men the width is same in the forefoot and heels.
Selection of Tennis Shoes
Normally shoes with flexible rubber soles are used in tennis. Care should be taken to select shoes that do not leave marks on the surface. Shoes with black soles are a strict” no”. Unlike the athletic shoes tennis shoes must be selected taking into consideration a variety of factors. They include the following:
Nature of the Court
The nature of surface plays an important role in the selection of shoes. Shoes with soft, flexible soles are ideal if the game is played on soft,clay like surfaces. In the case of hard courts the shoes should have soft, flexible soles with added thread. On hard courts shoes are worn off soon.
Lateral Control
Tennis requires movements in all directions, sideways, front and back. Shoes designed for forward movements like the athletic shoes for sprint severely restrict lateral movements. Tennis shoes must provide side-to- side motion control, preventing ankles from moving inward or outward and thus minimizing the possibility of ankle sprains.
Weight
Always choose shoes that have minimum weight. This enhances freedom of movement.
Shock absorbing Functions
Movements in the court often involve jumps and hard hitting. Shoes provided with shock absorbing functions like added plastic bubbles on the side will minimize the chances of injuries.
Optimal friction between the Surface and Shoes
The selection of shoes must be such that they provide an optimal friction on contact with ground. Too low friction may make propulsion difficult where as too much of friction may make the athlete more prone to injuries.
Selection of Tennis Socks
Selection of right shoes alone will not result in the maximum possible freedom of movement. Selection of right pair of socks also assumes significance. Socks used in Tennis are thickly laired to provide protection to toes and heel. The selection of material is also important. Cotton socks must be avoided owing to their poor moisture wicking ability. In their place Coolmax, acrylic, polypropylene and wool are used.
Women’s Tennis Shoes - Trends
Manufacturing of shoes have come a long way with the incorporation of technology. Shoes that are highly performance oriented are the hallmark of the industry. Manufactures often experiment with many types of rubber compounds for durability and flexibility of soles. In addition better shock absorption is achieved through putting air in the forefoot and heels. In addition there are a variety of models available like high-tops, low- tops and mid-tops. Influence of fashion is also found in the models for women.