With the right shoes, it is always an extra boost to play a game of tennis even if you have bad knees. A right pair of shoes is as crucial as any other equipment of the game. It catapults one’s performance by manifold. Here are a few best tennis shoes for bad knees.
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What do bad knees mean?
To wake up in the morning with excruciating pain in your knee or both knees while trying to straighten out your legs and touch the floor and support yourself to stand up is what it feels like to have bad knees. The person with bad knees knows quite well how the pain must feel and the stiffness, the knees are also stiff at times.
Stiff Knees
This is very commonly seen among people with bad knees. Stiff knees!! Your knees are the joints that are composed of bone and cartilage and cartilage doesn’t have a blood supply. Therefore, for nutrition, it relies on joint fluid that keeps the knees nourished. Mornings are the hardest part of the day for people with bad knees or if they have been sitting all day long without any activity. That is when the knees get most stiff.
Painful movements
Most people with bad knees complain that activities that involve knee movements such as climbing up or down a staircase or climbing any platform that is elevated make the pain around their knees worse. The pain varies from person to person and there are sunny days and grey days. However, only by moving your joints, one can help maintain their function and may help keep them functioning longer.
Swelling
Most often creak or crunch can be heard while trying to move the leg and normal movement is just not possible. There can be seen that the knees are quite often swollen. Two reasons can be responsible for this:
- Hard swelling is caused when there is an outward growth of the bone at the edge which forms bony spurs called osteophytes.
- Soft swelling is caused when there is inflammation of the joint and it produces extra fluid which is referred to as effusion.
Osteoarthritis
Stiffness and pain of the knees is mostly the result of osteoarthritis. It is also known as degenerative arthritis. Osteoarthritis when the cartilage of the knee joint becomes thin and the surface of the joint becomes rough making it difficult for the knee to move as smoothly as it should. This makes the knee painful and stiff.
Osteoarthritis is most common in women over 50. However, it can affect anyone at any age.
Reasons behind Bad Knees
Osteoarthritis is the main reason behind bad knees. However, other reasons catapult osteoarthritis. Those are as follows
- Traumatic Injuries or other joint problems, such as gout, can make it more likely for people to get osteoarthritis.
- The genes that we inherit from our parents can also increase the risk of osteoarthritis.
- Obesity can also cause osteoarthritis, as the excess weight puts extra strain on your knees.
There are a few other reasons for bad knees
Overuse injuries
Patellar pain syndrome is the most common form of overuse injuries. The way to identify it is by recognizing the pain in the front of the kneecap or slightly below it or discomfort or soreness in the knee.
It happens when one overloads the joint from repetitive movements like miles of running, or endless lunges or squats and step-ups. The main reason behind overuse is from doing too much, too soon, with little time to recovery or no time at all.
Acute/Traumatic injury
The other type of injury for mostly over active women is an acute, traumatic one. It is mostly an athletic injury that occurs mostly to the athletes who do rigorous activities that include cutting and twisting, common in sports like tennis and basketball.
When the normally stable-joint knee, which is designed to go only forward or backwards, torques sideways, it results in ruptured cartilage or a torn ACL which is short for the anterior cruciate ligament.
Often pushing too hard without proper pre-training results in ACL. Physiologically speaking the female knee is far more vulnerable than that of a man’s. Torn ACLs occur five to seven times more often in women than in men.
Torn meniscus
The meniscus is a shock absorber between your shinbone and thighbone which is formed of tough, rubbery cartilage. It can tear if one suddenly twists their knee while bearing weight on it.
Knee bursitis
Bursae are small sacs of fluid that cushion the outside of your knee joint. Some knee injuries cause inflammation in the bursae and this disrupts tendons and ligaments to glide smoothly over the joint.
Patellar tendinitis
The irritation and inflammation of one or more tendons are Tendonitis. Tendon is the thick, fibrous tissues that attach muscles to bones. Runners, skiers, cyclists, and those involved in proactive sports and activities have high chances of developing inflammation in the patellar tendon. The patellar tendon connects the quadriceps muscle which is in the front of the thigh to the shinbone.
Dislocated kneecap
This is another reason that causes bad knees. This occurs when patella the triangular bone that covers the front of your knee slips out of place. The patella usually slips towards the outside of your knee.
Hip or foot pain
This is a very odd but possible reason to give rise to a knee problem If you have hip or foot pain, most definitely, you will tend to change the way you walk. What is ignored is that this altered gait places more stress on your knee joint making it inevitable for a bad joint to occur.
Pseudogout
One most common reason for the bad knee is often mistaken for gout. It is pseudogout which is caused by calcium-containing crystals. These crystals develop in the joint fluid. And out of all joints, knees are the most common joint affected by pseudogout.
How to Choose Shoes for Bad Knees
Your stride is influenced by the shoes you wear. Therefore, isn’t it important for you to wear the right shoes? The rule of thumb while choosing shoes for bad knees is to go for comfortable and practical shoes. However, there are other few specific pointers to keep in mind that could help in choosing shoes for people with bad knees.
- One with bad knees should choose shoes with motion control technology.*
- Supportive cushioning is another feature that should be paid attention to.
- Shoes that optimize pressure uniformly from heel to forefoot.
- Shoes that enable the wearer to flex and twist and promote a natural stride when the wearer walks.
- Flat and flexible footwear because they reduce the load on the knee joints.
* Motion-control technology decreases the extent of pronation to limit excessive foot motion. Shoes with motion-control technology are designed with medial support that helps improve foot stability and also reduces the amount of pronation.
Best Tennis Shoes for Bad Knees
ASICS Men’s Gel-Kayano 24 Running Shoes
Not best just for bad knees but best running shoes. Period. The ASICS Gel-Kayano 24 is highly popular among runners and especially people with bad knees. Knee pain being the most common injury while running these shoes are an ideal choice. Incorporated into the making of these shoes is the I.G.S (Impact Guidance System) Technology. This is a technology-based an ASICS design philosophy that enhances the foot’s natural gait from heel strike to toe-off by employing linked component.
It also features the Fluid Fit Upper technology creates a truly customized glove-like fit by combining multi-directional stretch mesh with stretch reinforcements that adapt well to the athlete’s foot, Heel
Another important feature is Clutching System Technology that is incorporated to include Exoskeletal heel counter that provides improved support and creates an improved heel fitting environment.
The ComforDry Lasting material features plush underfoot comfort which is a godsend while also providing excellent moisture management to wick away excess sweat or moisture and provides a high level of breathability.
ComforDry X-40 Sock liner is a premium sock liner that features higher rebound properties while wicking away excess moisture and providing a high-level of breathability.
As the name suggests, the best feature of the shoe is its GEL Technology Cushion System on the rearfoot and forefoot. The function of the gel technology is to absorb any shock from the toe-off entirely through the gait cycle. The extra shock absorption around the heel prevents heel striking. The more the shock is absorbed, the easier on the knees and this is what is so desirable in this shoe.
Pros
- Theses shoes are snug fit.
- It provides excellent stability for flat feet.
- The gel in the heel provides extra comfort.
- The upper mesh keeps stability in the shoe flexible.
- These are great for long-distance running or walking.
Cons
- These are quite expensive.
- These are heavy stability shoes.
ASICS Women’s Gel-Venture 6 Running-Shoes
During the impact phase, the Rearfoot GEL Cushioning System attenuates shock and allows for a smooth transition to midstance. The Removable Sockliner that comes with it can be removed to accommodate a medical orthotic.
The shoes feature AHAR Outsole which is an acronym for ASICS High Abrasion Rubber. It is placed in critical areas of the outsole for outstanding durability. If you’re looking for a shoe for high arches, that’s also stylish, but you have a cap on your budget then look no further.
The Asics Gel Venture 6 is designed to help with supination. If you have high arches there is less ground contact of your entire foot, the shock is greater in a smaller area. The gel system helps in absorbing some of the extra shocks. Through the reversed lugs this shoe is well equipped to work in all different terrains.
Pros
- It provides outstanding comfort through the gel cushioning system
- Also provides great traction.
- The price is reasonable.
- It fits accurately.
Cons
- It needs time to break in.
- The narrow design is at times not preferred by customers.
Hoka Bondi 5 Women’s Running Shoes – SS17
The Shaft measures approximately 3″ from arch. The Mesh Upper provides a breathable environment, that keeps the wearer cool and dry.
These Lightweight shoes offer a secure fit while the Ortholite Insole provides additional cushioning for arch support and consistent comfort. Meta-Rocker helps for accurate roll through the gait cycle. The EVA Midsole Provides essential low profile cushioning that is much appreciated by the users. they can maintain a lightweight feel for even the longest of runs, through their 3D puff print frame. These shoes provide extra stability and comfort to the runners.
Pros
- It gives the runner a smooth ride.
- It provides stability.
- It is light in weight.
- It has a wide toe box.
- The cushioning is excellent.
- There are multiple colour options.
Cons
Some felt that the tongue was a tad bit uncomfortable.
Final words
Walking and other exercise helps maintain the mobility of your joint fluid and lubricate the joints. Moderate exercise is a must to keep your knees moving and to keep your knee joints young and flexible. With proper exercise, there will likely be an immense improvement in your condition.
