If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best tennis shoes for knee pain are, then we recommend the ASICS Men’s Gel-Resolution 7 Tennis Shoe as the best one.
Knee pain may sound like a death sentence for your athletic activity, but you can indeed continue to do what you love in spite of your injury, albeit with reduced performance. One of the things that allow you to continue playing tennis is a good pair of supportive shoes.
And if the best tennis shoes for knee pain is exactly what you are looking for, then we may have something to offer to you.
In this article, we’re going to review the following tennis shoes:
It’s all about reducing the pressure put on your knees while running around the tennis court. Healthy knees obviously tolerate pressure better, so foot support isn’t as crucial with them. But if you have bad knees, you will have to think of workarounds to reduce the pressure exerted on your knees.
A good shoe alone will not help you get rid of knee pain. It will just help you alleviate the consequences of knee injury rather than deal with the cause. Nonetheless, a supportive shoe can speed up the healing process, as well as prevent your knees from going even worse.
Factors to consider when looking for a tennis shoe
When looking for a tennis shoe for knee pain relieving, there are two primary things you need to consider – your condition and your tennis playstyle.
First of all, you aren’t going to find information that would be specific to your case online. That’s because there are a variety of things that cause knee pain, and only a medical professional can provide you with specific guidelines on what to avoid and what to look for in a tennis shoe.
Secondly, everyone has their own tennis playstyle – some people are quick and thus need lighter shoes, while others wish to sacrifice speed and lightness for cushioning and support. Thus, you would ideally want to pick shoes that would allow you to maintain your playstyle as much as possible.
The importance of foot cushioning
Foot support and cushioning are extremely important in tennis. With tennis players rapidly moving around the court and jumping, considerable demands arise for the support that needs to be provided by tennis shoes.
As a result, tennis shoes are sturdier than regular running shoes in order to support the foot and ankle at a variety of angles. Plus, to safeguard joints from impact, tennis shoes need to have adequate cushioning.
Needless to say, the demands for foot support with knee pain may increase dramatically.
As a general rule, the more cushioning shoes have, the better their effect is in pain reduction. A shoe with a thicker and softer outsole & midsole is going to absorb the shocks from impacts from the ground better, keeping your knees safer.
But this doesn’t mean that you should go for the tennis shoes that have the thickest sole out there. As we said above, knee conditions and playstyles vary vastly from person to person, so you need to consider your own specific requirements.
As a general guideline, the more severe your condition is, the more support and cushioning you would want to have under your feet. Plus, if you, for example, preferred faster play prior to the injury, go for the lightest shoes that provide you with adequate foot support. On the other hand, if you preferred to have softness under your feet, your preferences would need to be shifted towards more supportive shoes.
Shoes to avoid for tennis
There are certain tennis shoes that you should avoid as well.
First of all, avoid very lightweight shoes that provide you with comparatively little support, unless you have a milder knee condition that allows for this.
Secondly, avoid tennis shoes with high heels since these are going to put extra pressure on your knees.
Lastly, do not go for extra supportive shoes. Everything is good in moderation, and an extra supportive shoe is going to be unable to naturally support your knees, as well as will impair your performance by making you feel disconnected from the ground.
If you have a milder knee condition and can afford to go for a lighter shoe to preserve your speed as much as possible, then the Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers may be a good option to you.
The Converse Chuck Taylor shoes offer less support than our second pick, but what the second pick does not have is lightness and freedom of movement. With their lightweight & low-top design, the Chuck Taylor sneakers are going to allow you to move quicker, as well as feel less restrained while on the court.
If you definitely need a good amount of support beneath your feet, then meet the ASICS Men’s Gel-Resolution 7 tennis shoes.
The key feature in these shoes is their GEL cushioning system that is designed to attenuate shock during toe-off and impacts. The outsole & midsole in these shoes is thick and cushioned enough to provide proper support for players with worse knee pain.
As a little bonus, these shoes have a tow guard protector in order to protect the front of the feet when quickly changing directions.
These shoes, on the other hand, will make you slower since they are bulky and heavy. Also, keep in mind that they seem to run narrow, so you may need to go a size bigger.
Pros:
Excellent shock absorption.
The front of the feet is protected with a tow guard protector.
Suitable for more severe knee conditions.
Cons:
Bulky and a bit heavy.
Seem to run narrow.
Conclusion
Foot support-wise, we have to give it to the ASICS tennis shoes. They are definitely superior to the Converse Chuck Taylor shoes when it comes to knee pain. For individuals with more severe pain, the ASICS shoes are undeniably better thanks to their thicker and more supportive sole. The Converse Chuck Taylors are indeed better in terms of speed and lightness, but not everyone with knee pain will care about this.
The final choice is yours to make, however. And when selecting a pair of shoes, make sure to follow the guidelines we provided above.
Hey there, my name is David Lee and I am the person behind this website. I started playing tennis over 20 years ago and on this site I will show you how to enjoy tennis.
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