Should Badminton Shoes Be Tight?

Buying badminton shoes for the first time can be tricky. Every badminton shoe you try on, feels tight and you wonder if they are supposed to be like that.

Badminton shoes should neither be too tight nor loose, they should fit with just the right tightness. That being said, if you had to choose, badminton shoes are better off being a little tighter than having it loose, which I will explain later on. There is one main reason to why badminton shoes should be tight and that is injury prevention.

Types of injuries that could happen

Badminton is a fast-paced game with a lot of quick movement back and forth. If you are not careful, the chances of injury can be very high. Additionally, not using the proper gears or using them incorrectly is just as bad. Wearing badminton shoes that are the wrong size, is one of them.

There are 2 injuries that you should be aware of when you are playing badminton. One of these injuries can put you out of the game you love for 6 months if it is serious.

Sprained ankle and blisters are the 2 injuries, they are the most common ones. Of course, there are other injuries involved in badminton such as hamstring pulls, wrist strains, cramps and etc… but they are not as common.

Sprained or twisted ankle

This is the more serious injury of the 2, It can take a long time to recover. Wearing loose badminton shoes will increase the chances of this happening because your feet have space to move even after you’ve stopped.

Imagine running across the court and immediately needing to stop and turn the other direction. In that situation with shoes that are loose, you can easily sprain your ankle.

Blisters

Blisters are arguably the most common injury when players are not wearing shoes with the right size. Wearing shoes that are the wrong size will still get you injured even if they are badminton shoes. Everyone hates getting blisters on their feet, they give you pain with every step you take.

Just choose the right size and the badminton shoes will do the rest to protect you. If you wear badminton shoes that are not tight enough, the extra space inside the shoes will rub against your feet and the friction will cause blisters.

You can simply avoid this by getting a pair with the right size.

Getting blisters with right badminton shoe size

Moreover, another reason you could be getting blisters even if your badminton shoes are the right size could be that they are just simply not good enough. A decent pair of badminton shoes should have in built technology that will give you good air flow for your feet.

This will keep your feet dry at all times unless you sweat a crazy amount on your feet. When your feet have little to no moisture, it is hard for blisters to form.

Choosing the right size can feel tight

You might think that choosing the right size means having your feet fit comfortably on the first try. This statement is not true at all.

Good badminton shoes will expand as you wear them more. They will, however, be tight as first. They do this because it will fit you much better as the shoes expand and mold into your feet.

It’s much better to have it a bit tighter at first rather than buy a size bigger. Badminton shoes are made to expand, not shrink. So, do not immediately think that you bought the wrong size just because your badminton shoes are tight. After the first few times of wearing them, they will expand in no time.

Issue with badminton shoes expanding

It is not all rainbow and sunshine though. The bad news is, badminton shoes never stop expanding.

Over time, your badminton will become loose and you’ll have to buy a new pair. Make sure you do not be cheap about this if you want to continue to have the maximum protection against any injuries.

The bill from that injury might just be more than the cost of a pair of good badminton shoes.

FAQ

Here are some FAQ that you might have regarding badminton shoes sizes

How do I know if my badminton shoes are the right size?

Badminton shoes do not have special sizing that requires you to buy 1 size higher or lower to your actual size. Just get a size that you usually get with other shoes and you should be fine.

How do I know if my badminton shoes are too tight?

Think of badminton shoes like skiing boots with comfortable materials. Skiing boots are tight but fit well at the same time. They make you feel protected. You want your badminton shoes to be the same. They should be tight, up to the point before it starts to hurt your feet.

What should I do if my badminton shoes are loose?

If your badminton shoes are just a little loose, an easy fix is to wear thicker socks and if it is still loose after that, you should just get a new pair.

I’m growing, should I buy a size larger?

The answer to that is a big fat no! Never ever buy a size larger than yours no matter what. For now, get your size and once it does not fit anymore, get a new pair. It’s not worth getting injured over saving a little money on new shoes. Like I said, your bill for that injury might cost more than the shoes itself.

Conclusion

To conclude, badminton shoes should be tight but not too tight until a point where you feel pain. You might feel uncomfortable at first but that is normal if your shoes are new. Most badminton shoes will expand over time as you wear them.

Wearing a pair of loose badminton shoes to play badminton is one of the worst ideas. It can get you nasty injuries such as twisted ankle and blisters. Hope you got your answer from this article. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them down below.

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