Does Footwear Matter in Padel?

By Deborah Goldman

The short answer is YES!

As a boxing coach of over ten years, I have seen (and suffered) more injuries on the padel court than I ever have in the boxing ring.  While it’s understandable that you might not want to invest in a pair of padel trainers when you first start out (especially as you might not be fully addicted yet) be forewarned, rocking up to a match in your gym/running shoes may lead to injury. Would you go enter the boxing ring without a headguard or gumshield?

While it's true that your selection of footwear won’t prevent you from clattering into the glass, or from smashing yourself full-on in the face with your padel racket, it will mitigate many other risks associated with playing the sport.

When I began my padel journey, I admit I was naïve. For the first few months of playing I wore my regular gym trainers, and couldn't understand why I was spending such an inordinate amount of time on my face. The reason, I later discovered was that the lateral, explosive movements performed in padel require solid support from your soles. I found that wearing my regular footwear not only proved slippery but also exacerbated my existing ankle tendonitis condition. After investing in a pair of padel shoes, however, I managed to remain largely vertical; my ankle issues vanished and I was able to focus on my game, rather than the constant worry of stacking it.

The 'sciencey”'bit (if you are interested) lies in the structure of the sole. The herringbone shape that grips the unique surface of the padel court ensures stability when performing those rapid lateral movements. Furthermore, padel shoes provide support, and a cushioned layer of shock absorption to prevent hip, ankle and knee injury. Investing in a decent pair of quality padel shoes might seem like an outlay that you don’t want to make but trust me, this is an investment that will save you a lot of pain, not to mention money spent at the physio, later.