Basketball is incomplete without shoes. Shoes not only protect your feet while playing on the hardwood but also allow you to play at the highest level of your game.
There are many options on the market, so it can be hard to choose which one you like. Some prefer lighter brands while others prefer more durable footwear.
This guide will help you choose the right footwear for you by comparing high-top and low-top shoes.
Basketball is incomplete without shoes. Shoes not only protect your feet while playing on the hardwood but also allow you to play at the highest level of your game.
There are many options on the market, so it can be hard to choose which one you like. Some prefer lighter brands while others prefer more durable footwear.
This guide will help you choose the right footwear for you by comparing high-top and low-top shoes.
Shoes at Position
High top basketball shoes offer sturdiness and a lightweight feel. Low top basketball shoes, on the other hand, allow for more movement during a game. The ability to move around the court is essential for basketball players. However, how you move will depend on your position.
Guards and wings, for example, will often want to make a lot of cuts. This quick movement and sharp angles are extremely time-consuming. One step too soon or too late can make the difference between a missed shot or a successful layup.
These players prefer to wear low-top shoes. They can run faster and with less effort without losing quality or performance.
Post players (forwards and centers) tend to prefer high-top shoes. They can focus more on protecting their feet since cutting is not an important part of their game.
They also have to put a lot on their feet as power players. This is where the high-top’s extra padding comes into play.
Every shoe style has its advantages and disadvantages. But the position you are playing is a good starting point.
High Tops: Advanced Ankle Protection
Strong sneakers are best worn in high-top shoes. For those who want to have the best of both worlds, you can find lighter models.
The style is different from low-top footwear in that it has a little more material at the ankle. They offer extra protection at the top of your foot and are a great choice for those who want to reduce the risk of breaking or spraining their ankles.
High tops are also more secure than other styles. This extra stability provides support that sleeker shoes don’t offer.
High tops can help prevent injuries. These tops are a good choice for those with weak ankles or players who frequently roll their feet while playing.
Strong, Wide, and Tough
Higher tops have more cushion to reduce the risk of plantar fasciitis and blisters. They are more comfortable than low-top footwear and have more padding.
Although it may not seem like much, this can be a huge help for players who suffer from foot injuries while playing on the court. A small blister can make you unable to play for an entire match. High-tops may be an option if this is a frequent occurrence.
The styles are also more durable than low tops due to their stronger construction. Although no basketball shoe is guaranteed to last forever, it’s okay to get a few weeks more from your shoes.
Low Tops
Although low top shoes don’t have the same injury protection as high tops, they offer pros that bulkier shoes can’t match.
They are lighter than other shoes, and allow for greater mobility. This allows you to run faster and does not limit your ability to jump.
The lighter shoes also make it easier to stay awake. Fatigue can strike at crucial moments, no matter how strong or weak you may be. When things get down to the wire, it helps to have an extra boost of energy.
Low tops offer a huge advantage for players of all sizes. Sometimes, all it takes to score a basket in a game where speed matters is just a few extra steps on a defender.
Quick Performance, Rapid Reaction
High-tops respond quicker than low tops. This is one of the styles’ subtler advantages, but it really matters in a game where inches are involved.
High tops can cause a slight delay in your jump and cut time due to the extra time it takes for your shoe’s reaction with asphalt or hardwood. You can get a slight advantage over your opponents by reducing the springtime, even if it is only for a few seconds.
High-quality kicks will always give you great results. However, they won’t all be able to help you play to the best of your abilities. Low tops don’t just look more modern or reduce your weight; they also give you an extra inch that you won’t get from high or mid tops.
Two sides of the same coin
Your preference is the only thing that matters. For big men, low tops can help reduce injuries and give them an edge when running or jumping.
However, this doesn’t mean that you have to stick with one shoe type because you play at the same place. Both types of shoes look and feel very different. It is important to test both before you make your final decision.
Shoes by position
High top basketball shoes offer a more lightweight feel and greater durability, while lower top shoes are lighter and allow for more movement during the game. Basketball players must be able to move around the court. However, how you move will depend on your position.
Guards and wings, for example, will often want to make a lot of cuts. This quick movement and sharp angles are extremely time-dependent. One step too soon or too late can make the difference between a missed shot or a successful layup.
These players prefer to wear low-top shoes. They can run faster and with less effort without having to compromise on quality or performance.
Post players (forwards and centers) tend to prefer high-top shoes. They can focus more on protecting their feet since cutting is not an important part of their game.
They also have to put a lot on their feet as power players. This is where the extra padding in the high top comes in.
Every shoe style has its advantages and disadvantages. But the position you are playing is a good starting point.
High Tops for Advanced Ankle Protection
Strong sneakers are best worn in high-top shoes. For those who want to have the best of both worlds, you can find lighter models.
The style is different from low-top footwear in that it has a little more material at the ankle. They offer extra protection at the top of your foot and are a great choice for those who want to reduce the risk of breaking or spraining their ankles.
High tops are also more secure than other styles. This extra stability provides support that sleeker shoes don’t offer.
High tops can help prevent injuries. These tops are a good choice for those with weak ankles or players who frequently roll their feet while playing.
Wide, tough, and strong
Higher tops have more cushion to reduce the risk of plantar fasciitis and blisters. They are more comfortable than low-top footwear and have more padding.
Although it may not seem like much, this can be a huge help for players who suffer from foot injuries while playing on the court. A small blister can make you unable to play for an entire match. High-tops may be an option if this is a frequent occurrence.
The styles are also more durable than low tops due to their stronger construction. Although no basketball shoe is guaranteed to last forever, it’s okay to get a few weeks more from your shoes.
Low tops: The benefits
Although low top shoes don’t have the same injury protection as high tops, they offer pros that bulkier shoes can’t match.
They are lighter than other shoes, and allow for greater mobility. This allows you to run faster and does not limit your ability to jump.
The lighter shoes also make it easier to stay awake. Fatigue can strike at crucial moments, no matter how strong or weak you may be. When things get down to the wire, it helps to have an extra boost of energy.
Low tops offer a huge advantage for players of all sizes. Sometimes, all it takes to score a basket in a game where speed matters is just a few extra steps on a defender.
Rapid Performance and Quick Reaction
High-tops respond quicker than low tops. This is one of the styles’ subtler advantages, but it really matters in a game where inches are involved.
High tops can cause a slight delay in your jump and cut time due to the extra time it takes for your shoe’s reaction with asphalt or hardwood. You can get a slight advantage over your opponents by reducing the springtime, even if it is only for a few seconds.
High-quality kicks will always give you great results. However, they won’t all be able to help you play to the best of your abilities. Low tops don’t just look more modern or reduce your weight; they also give you an extra inch that you won’t get from high or mid tops.
Let’s put them to the test!
High-top vs. low-top shoes breakdown
31 academic studies were analyzed that compared high-top and low top basketball sneakers. These studies covered both athletic performance as well as foot/ankle health.
When comparing the effects on high-tops and low-tops, we will break down the key terms. We’ll be discussing:
- Performance in the gym
- Ankle sprains
- Ankle movement
- Muscle activation
- RunRepeat data
1. Athletic performance and shoe top
Two main questions arise when a player chooses footwear for basketball.
Basketball players’ most important attributes are speed/quickness (frontal, lateral), and their jumping ability. There are no studies that show that shoe height has any impact on athletic performance. Here are a few examples:
- Yang Yang, 2017.
- “No shoe differences were observed for performance variables (sidestep cutting and jumping )… both counter-stiffness and collar height have no effect on athletic performances.” – ui Liu 2017,
- “Across all performance tests (60-yd sprint and cutting drill, agility ladder), there was no significant difference between any shoe (high-tops or mid-tops)” Calvin W. Daack 2014
The collar height of the shoes of the top basketball players doesn’t correlate with their performance on the court. Kobe Bryant was just as effective with high-tops than he was with low-tops.
No matter how high your feet are, proper fitting shoes will improve both safety and performance. It is crucial to choose the right size shoe and properly lacing it. You can find our size and lacing guidelines here.
2. 2.High-tops vs. lower-tops, ankle sprains
High-top basketball shoes were the most popular for nearly a decade because they offer better ankle support than low tops. Is this true?
An ankle sprain is a condition in which the ligaments of the ankle are stretched beyond their normal range. Ankle sprains are most common in basketball after landing on uneven surfaces. The uneven surface is usually another player’s foot. Combination of ankle inversion and ankle flexion is the most common type.
Eversion and inversion are movements of the ankle to the side and towards the middle, respectively. These occur naturally during lateral moves in basketball such as cutting with or without the ball and any type of crossover dribble.
It’s also known as plantar flexion (rotation downs) or dorsiflexion, which is rotation upwards.
Ankle flexion is one the most common movements in basketball. An example of this would be a jump shot, or a layup/slam-dunk.
Multiple studies were conducted to determine the impact of collar height on ankle strains. One study concluded that high-top shoes resulted in a decrease in ankle sprains ( Garrick & Requa, 1973). The study was done in 1973 and has seen significant changes in the design of high- and low-top shoes. There is no other study that shows a difference between the highs and lows in ankle injuries.
Surprisingly, ankle sprains can occur in both lows and highs. The NBA changed its rules to ban these types of injuries (Zaza Rule).
3. Ankle movement in high-tops vs. low-tops
Inverted platform landings (simulation of jumping after a layup or jump shot) were not correlated with the inversion angles for high-tops and lower-tops in studies.
Significant differences in inversion angles were however observed when test subjects were placed on a flat platform.
Low-tops allowed ankle inversions that were 4.5 degrees greater than high-tops. This was 38.1 degrees for high-tops, and 42.6 degrees for low-tops (Richard & Saret 2000). This motion refers to player cutting maneuvers like crossover or off-ball cutting.
Low-tops give your ankle a little more freedom of movement, as these findings suggest. Low-tops are popular with players who use a lot of quick cutting movements in their games, such as James Harden.
Yang and Fang (2018) found that subjects who had low-tops were able to flex more (32.2 degrees compared with 27.0), than those with high-tops when performing weight-bearing dorsiflexion maneuvers such as squats. Low-tops had a smaller angle between the ground and feet (77.0 degrees in lows and 85.1 in highs),
4. Muscle activation in high-top vs. low-top shoes
As with ankle movement, the collar height can have an impact on activation of leg muscles (tibialis posterior, peroneus longus and peroneus-brevis) during ankle twisting. Numerous studies have shown that people who wore low-top shoes had higher pre-activation intensity.
Low-top shoes also had a significantly shorter onset time (time between the inversion begins and the time when the body reacts)
These findings may suggest that high-top shoes require less muscular effort and provide more feedback to the body’s proprioceptive system during landing. Because of the high rebounding under the rim, high-tops are preferred by many big-men in basketball.
