A decent pair of badminton shoes is essential for not only maximizing on-court performance, but also to prevent injury. The legs and feet are certain to experience a lot of stress when playing badminton, so it is important to carefully consider the different features and options. Let’s take a look at a few things that are essential in badminton shoes:
Soles
Most badminton shoes have gum rubber or rubber soles. For the players using a PU or wood court, the preferred option is the gum rubber soles. They give a very high level of grip on the court. Alternatively, the standard rubber soles are adequate for the cement based floors.
Also, there are shoes that have non-marking soles to avoid leaving a lot of marks on the floor from the fast movements from the back to the front of the court.
Ventilation
Proper ventilation is certain to be appreciated in shoes worn while engaged in a fast paced sport. A build up of sweat can lead to wet shoes which can easily develop into bacteria and fungi. Also, they will likely smell very badly after a short period of time. Ventilation in various places on the shoes will help to keep the feet cool and make the time on the court a lot more comfortable.
Cushioning
Badminton involves a lot of moving around and jumping, so shoes with excellent cushioning are certain to benefit. Good cushioning will ensure the body is given the desired impact protection from the constant movement. An area of the body that will see a lot of stress is the knees from the regular jumps or a lunge. But, with the right shoes, it is possible to rely on the cushioning to accept some of the load, and not entirely on the knees.
Weight
The light shoes for badminton are the most desirable option. With a need to constantly move around the court, the heavy shoes will only slow the player down after a short period. A typical weight is in the region of 250-350 grams. At this weight it will be easier to swiftly move across the court to strike the shuttlecock.
Ankle Support
In general, the badminton shoes are built with minimal ankle support compared to running shoes or trainers. Ankle support is useful for running shoes because the feet and legs need to be kept in a straight line. But, with badminton there is a constant need to move sideways, backward and forward. The preferred choice with badminton shoes is to let the ankles flex naturally, and they will develop flexibility and strength on their own.