You’ll be moving around quite a bit laterally and vertically throughout a volleyball match, which you won’t encounter in other sports like basketball or running unless you’re a defensive specialist. One of the best methods to protect yourself from injuries and perform at your peak on the court is to wear a nice pair of volleyball shoes. Volleyball shoes are lightweight and have rubber bottoms and supportive padding that enables fast cuts and continuous jumping.
Some shoes don’t work well with ankle braces, while most classic athletic shoes or sneakers with a tongue and laces do. If you buy an ankle brace but can’t get it to fit inside your shoe or it hurts when you wear it with your shoe, it might not be the ankle brace’s fault but the design or style of the shoes. Knowing which shoes you should avoid wearing when wearing ankle braces is a good idea due to this reason.
The top sneakers for wearing along with ankle braces feature a traditional tongue and lace construction, making it simple to spread out the shoe’s opening and insert the ankle brace. Low-top athletic shoes work best with ankle braces since they don’t put much strain on your ankle bones as a mid- or high-top shoe would.
Understanding how these new designs affect how an ankle brace fits within the shoe is essential. Athletic shoe manufacturers have introduced sneakers that deviate from the conventional shoe design. This unique shoe has a collar or sleeve design, making it nearly impossible to put the brace in the shoe. It isn’t easy to insert an ankle brace inside these shoes because they often have a mid or high-tops style.
Use these essential characteristics to choose the best volleyball shoes for you this season.
More Traction, More Grip
The soles of volleyball shoes should be made of a composite of rubber and gum rubber to provide the player with the most traction possible on the various indoor playing surfaces. Your volleyball shoe’s outsole quality should be of the highest caliber. Since you’ll be playing on hard courts that can get slippery, it needs to have a firm grip. Better digs, quick cuts, passes, starts, and stops result from shoes that can grip the court. Look for a volleyball shoe with a high-performance rubber outsole, a pivot under the foot’s ball, and either complicated tread patterns or sharp, shallow lugs. These qualities all contribute significantly to traction. If you are playing on an outdoor surface like land and soil, you should go for a shoe with a soft sole suitable for running and jumping.
Cushioning For Shock Absorption
Cushioning is crucial to keep in mind when searching for new shoes. A shoe with protective cushioning to absorb impact is essential because volleyball includes a lot of jumping – whether it is to block a shot, spike the ball, or move about the court. The cushioning in your volleyball shoes should feel good on your feet and provide a lot of support to lessen pain and tiredness during and after games. A player’s foot must feel comfortable in their shoe, and having sore feet can make one feel mentally worn out or exhausted.
Since volleyball players spend a lot of time on their balls of feet, the midsole needs to be able to absorb the stress from all the jumping and landing that is involved. Modern components are added to the midsole of well-crafted volleyball shoes, constructed of foam from sheet/molded EVA, to help them absorb stress. Other kinds of shock absorption (air, gel, and liquid) offer cushioning and energy restitution.
Lightweight Shoes For Rapid Movements
Volleyball players never stop moving. One might move more slowly with heavy shoes and may not jump at the proper height. It is crucial to confirm that the shoe is strong enough to survive repeated usage while also being light enough to allow fast movements. It would be best if you also used lightweight volleyball shoes to move around the court for several games rapidly. Lightweight footwear also aids in achieving the proper height when jumping. Volleyball shoes for men should weigh between 300 and 400 grams (10.5 to 14 ounces). The ideal weight for women’s volleyball shoes is between 200 and 300 grams (7 to 10.5 ounces).
Breathability To Keep Your Foot Dry
Most volleyball shoes have an upper made of suede and mesh. Some people will lighten the shoe by adding mesh, promoting airflow and ventilation. Some manufacturers provide mid-cut and high-cut shoes with leather, lightweight synthetic leather, and mesh uppers for players who want ankle support. The shoe’s ability to keep a player’s foot dry and cool during a game depends on this. High-tech polyester is a suitable material for breathability.
Stability And Support
Because volleyball players move around constantly in all directions, stability is essential. A higher degree of confidence can be reinforced by having excellent ankle support. Your volleyball shoe must offer lateral stability when you change directions on the court to keep your balance and lower your risk of an ankle injury. Look for footwear that offers adequate ankle support. Depending on what is most comfortable for you, this could entail low-top, mid-top, or high-top support. The most supportive shoe for the ankle is a high-top, but it will also be slightly heavier. Low-top shoes are preferable if quick, and short movements are essential to the position you play on the court.
Good Fitting For Good Balance
Volleyball shoes must appropriately fit for your shoe to move with your foot as you go about the court while playing volleyball. Your foot shouldn’t have any room to move because doing so could cause your ankles to rotate or cause you to lose equilibrium. Moreover, when trying on shoes, pick ones with a finger’s breadth or less between your toes and the shoe’s tip. Additionally, you should be unrestricted in your ability to bend on the ball of your foot naturally. Lastly, when trying shoes on, test them out by getting low and leaning forward like you would on defense or serve-receive. Make sure it’s comfortable around your heel and that the shoe’s “tongue” doesn’t irritate the top of your foot. For some reason, some shoes are really bad about that.
Conclusion : Summary and Alternatives
In conclusion, if you play competitive volleyball, you must wear shoes for both practices and games. Volleyball shoes are lightweight, supportive, and cushioned to accommodate all the fast cuts and high-flying jumps made during volleyball games.
Additionally, volleyball shoes offer superior ankle support compared to other shoes, which can minimize the severity of an ankle injury or help prevent it altogether. The most excellent substitute would be a pair of basketball shoes if you don’t have volleyball shoes, are waiting for a new couple to arrive, and are unsure of what to wear in the interim.
Choose a pair of athletic shoes with the highest traction and ankle support if basketball shoes aren’t an option for you either. These two areas are crucial for both high-level performance and injury prevention. Suppose you choose to play volleyball without the appropriate clothing and footwear. In that case, you face the danger of injury, just like any other activity that calls for agility, jumping, and quick reactions. The only other volleyball necessity you’ll require is a quality set of sneakers.
In short, keep in mind all the points discussed above to choose the most suitable volleyball shoes with ankle support for you.