Trying Padel out for the first time? You can get away with a pair of standard training shoes, however if you decide to play regularly, you should invest in proper Padel shoes for the reasons set out below.
Padel is a sport with fast movements, sharp turns, and jumps. Having shoes that are designed to do this properly improves your results on the court and reduces the risk of injury.
We all know that our feet provide essential support for our bodies. But did you know that our movements also affect the knee, hip, spine and neck? Choosing the right footwear is therefore crucial for protecting our feet and key parts of our bodies.
When people play Rugby, Football, Cricket, Golf, etc, they don’t think twice about changing into the right footwear. The same applies for playing Padel, special shoes are required to help us perform at our best, make us feel comfortable, give you great support and minimise the risk of injury.
Padel requires more vertical movement and sudden, swift rotations. Whereas Tennis predominantly calls for horizontal movement along the baseline, so the design of the shoe is different.
In Padel you are constantly changing direction, pivoting, rotating and stopping quickly, this is why it requires a specific sole. This sole is designed in a Herringbone (Zig Zag) pattern, which helps distributes the sand on the court to give you maximum grip.
Padel shoes also feature extra cushioning in the heel and toecap and heel protection, which is essential due to the abrasive nature of the turf and sand. Your running, tennis or squash shoes won’t last very long on a Padel court.
If you are going to take the sport and your health seriously, its crucial to invest in the right equipment.
We hope that this blog has helped you understand the need for Padel shoes. Not only will the correct shoes help to prevent serious injury, but you will most certainly see an improvement in your game due to the comfort, increase in grip and support of the right shoes.