Replacing Basketball ShoesFrequently Can Decrease Overuse
Injuries Says Sports Medicine President
The average high school basketball player can greatly decrease his incidence of overuse
injury by simply replacing his basketball shoes frequently, said Michael Lowe, DPM,
President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and team Podiatrist of the
Utah Jazz National Basketball Association team for 18 years.
Dr. Lowe made his remarks at a meeting of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports
Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri October 11-13.
Dr. Lowe presented a study which showed that the average high school basketball player
will utilize only one pair of new basketball shoes per season. The average runner will
replace their running shoes every 350-500 miles (or equivalent to 66 hours running). The
average high school or college player will easily work out 72 hours per month. The shoes
are made of equivalent materials, i.e. sole, and "eva" midsole material which
has a deformation fatigue factor that when exceeded, greatly increases stress to the foot,
leg and related soft tissue and bone structures. In time, the stress to a certain soft
tissue or bone structure will create a fatigue injury which then renders the player unable
to participate in his or her sport.
Dr. Lowe recommended that the basketball shoe be changed monthly during the season in
practice and during games. This has been found to greatly decrease the rate of injury to
professional players, to the point that they will often replace shoe gear every two to
three days or games.
Other comments by Dr. Lowe are available on these pages.
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