Tennis Shoes vs Running Shoes

Tennis Shoes vs Running Shoes, what are their differences?

If you aim to start to play tennis, the shoes are together with the racquet, the first item to buy. You might think the old running shoes you have such an affection for are going to make the job even on a tennis court, but that’s the first step towards an injury.

So, choose your tennis shoes with criteria and don’t let the rush to get into the court ruin your leisure time.

If the cost is the main problem, you shall use the running shoes for playing tennis and not vice versa. The cushioning provided by the running shoes should help your bouncing, however, they don’t have the lateral grip than another tennis shoe might have.

Said so you should pay extra attention to the footwork when using running shoes on a tennis court, where sliding is part of the game, with the right shoes though.

Difference Between Tennis Shoes and Running Shoes

Both can be great to assist in the sports activities you have to do however they have main and important differences.

The running shoes help you with the bouncing, absorbing the impact with the ground, so they are more solid on the bottom of your feet to avoid stress and pain related to the continuous bounce.

When we talk about tennis shoes instead, we discuss another kind of sport. A sport where the lightweight of the shoe is fundamental as it will allow you the changes of direction very often happens in the game of tennis. Being fast in the twist, run and jump means a light shoe, stable but with less cushion attention than the related running shoe.

In specific courts, such as the clay ones, the difference in grip and stability is stunning. When approaching tennis, we suggest taking some dedicated shoes that you don’t mix up for both activities.

There are a lot of professional sports shops experts in these kinds of activities, take a bit of time and do even a thoroughly test, to understand how you run and jump, where your balance goes, how your foot stays on the floor, with the water test to see what footprint you leave, and pressure left on the ground.

Can I Use Running Shoes for Tennis?

You can do that however is not the ideal situation because each shoe is made for a different sport and different movements.

The running shoes can help you if you have problems in the base of your foot, however, they will not sustain your ankle for lateral movements. You will necessarily have to stumble around the court, jump, and slipping is going to be one of the easiest movements to allow injuries to kick in. With tennis shoes, the performance and grip will be much more solid.

So, to summarize, it’s possible to use running shoes for tennis matches but don’t let it become a habit as it might affect your posture and, in the mid-term increase your chances to get injured.

Best Brands for Tennis Shoes

When we search for the more stable, light, and reliable shoes there are some brands with an edge over others. Here you can find some examples with the link for each of them.

Asics

K-Swiss

Nike

Adidas

Best Brands for Running Shoes

Running is different from playing tennis. The movements that you do, the force applied to the ground is also different and higher. Said so, you need shoes with good cushioning to protect from the impact with the ground and good stability and support for your ankle.

If we focus on running the main brands are;

Adidas

Adidas with the Kaptir model taking the lead:

Nike

Nike with the Pegasus being one of the most affordable, light and comfortable.