Difference Between Tennis Shoes and Running Shoes

Tennis Shoes vs Running Shoes

There is a wide difference between tennis shoes and running shoes. However, some people simply refer to these shoes as sneakers and don’t bother to use the right type of footwear for a particular sport. If you wear the wrong type of shoe, then there is a good chance that you might get injured during a game.

First of all, tennis shoes are slightly heavy but slimmer in order to enhance agility. On the other hand, running shoes are lighter than tennis shoes. Running shoes are designed for forward movement only so they have higher side padding to protect the ankles. This side support is lacking in tennis shoes because a tennis player needs to move from side to side. A high-cut shoe will hamper side to side movement.

Running shoes are built to provide greater sole support in order to absorb the pressure and impact of running. That is why shoes made for runners have thick padding at the soles. Without thick shoe padding, runners will tire easily as their bodies absorb more shock coming from their feet.

In contrast, tennis shoes have very thin and slim soles with very little padding. The shoes are also extremely pliable and flexible. Again, these design specs are intended to give the tennis player more agility. With flexible and slim shoes, tennis players will be able to easily execute lateral movements.

Both shoes are generally made from rubber. Running shoes however have thicker and softer heels in order to enhance traction and shock absorption. Tennis shoes have thinner and harder heels in order to promote stability because a tennis player performs different range of motions.

Tennis and running shoes are different from each other. Tennis shoes are designed to improve agility while running shoes have thick padding and designed to absorb the impact of running.

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