Orlando Health: choose correct shoes to avoid sports injury

The first step to avoid a foot or ankle injury while playing sports is choosing the appropriate shoe. But there are so many options that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The right athletic shoe can help boost your performance and prevent injury, specifically to the foot and ankle, providing both support and comfort.

Start with the Right Size

Wearing the correct size shoe is crucial. While this may seem intuitive, you might be surprised by how many student athletes are not wearing shoes that fit correctly. Parents tend to buy shoes in a size too large for their children because they outgrow them quickly.

But the problem with wearing the incorrect size is not limited to children. Between 63 percent and 72 percent of adults in a recent study wore shoes that did not accommodate either width or length dimensions of their feet. Adults often don’t realize that shoe size can change as our body changes over the years. It’s unlikely you’ll be the same size throughout your life.