Knowing how to break in basketball shoes is very important in order to prevent sore feet. It’s pretty natural for new shoes to feel stiff but it doesn’t mean you should feel discomfort all the time, especially during the game.
Breaking in new basketball shoes is not difficult, however, it takes some time before you can wear them comfortably.
There will be some pieces of advice that will help you to break into new shoes.
What do you need to know before buying new basketball shoes?
Before we go straight to the tips on how to break in basketball shoes, let’s discuss some things you need to know before buying them.
Choosing the right size
Breaking into new shoes makes no sense if you’ve chosen the wrong size. This is a crucial step, cause tight shoes can lead to serious problems, such as blisters on your heels and toes. Wearing shoes that are too big can also cause problems: the shoe can come off during the game.
So remember to always try your shoes before buying them. The same thing if you are buying online.
Choosing the right type
You shouldn’t just buy your basketball shoes according to what your favorite player wears. You need to take into account such factors as the usage and your play style. Another important factor you need to take into account is ankle support.
High top basketball shoes and mid top basketball shoes give you high ankle support and low top basketball shoes provide your feet with freedom. If you are a speedy player you’d better look for low top basketball shoe. If you need more stability you should choose high top basketball shoe.
Buying in advance. High-top basketball shoes and low-top basketball shoes
Some people make a mistake when they buy new shoes the day before the game. Playing in a brand-new pair of shoes is pretty risky, cause you are likely to feel pain in your feet.
If you want to feel comfortable in them, make sure you’re buying them at least three weeks in advance, so that you’ll have time to practice in them, which is useful for ball handling.
Methods to break in new pair of basketball shoes
Finger method
You need to flex the toe area of your basketball sneakers to loosen up the materials. It can be performed by squeezing the front part of your shoe between your thumb and forefinger or you can use your thumb and push in on the toe box. Repeat this on the other sneaker.
Use shoe stretcher
A shoe stretcher is a device that is inserted in the sneakers and makes them wider in the toe area. After several days of usage, your shoes won’t be tight anymore. This method is especially good for those who have wide feet and need some extra breathing space inside the shoe.
Use thick socks
When your feet feel uncomfortable in new basketball shoes you can try to wear thick socks. It will soften up the material and as you walk around in the shoes they will be molded to your foot. This method will help you to avoid blisters and give your new pair of basketball shoes more stability.
If you don’t have thick socks, simply wear two pairs of normal socks.
Perform basketball drills
Before you start wearing your brand-new pair of shoes to practice, perform some basketball drills. Light jogging is not enough, you need to perform basketball movements. If you feel uncomfortable while doing this, you may try to adjust the laces. Sometimes it can be really helpful.
Comfort is priority
Sometimes people forget that they are wearing basketball shoes for their comfort, but not to look like their favorite basketball player. You need to base your choice on how much ankle support you are requiring and shock absorption.
Moreover, you need to take into account whether you are playing basketball on outdoor courts or indoor courts.
Full out a competitive game
Try to play high-intensity games with a group of people and pay attention to how your new kicks feel on the feet. This must be done before the tryouts where you need to be completely confident in your basketball shoes.
How to break in new basketball sneakers naturally
The previous methods are to be used when you don’t have enough time to break in them naturally. Basically, this process takes three weeks. So as we said before you should buy your new basketball shoes in advance.
During the first week, you need to perform some light activities, so you can see how the shoes feel on your feet. This may be light jogging, for instance. Also, wear them around your house or you can wear them for light walks. This will help you to reduce foot pain and injuries.
You can try moisturizing your feet to prevent painful blisters as well.
After one week passed you can try some light practice to see how your shoes feel while you are playing basketball. Walking and jogging are not enough to see how your basketball shoes perform, because basketball involves a lot of side-to-side movements.
After two weeks passed you need to wear your shoes to practice every day. The more you play the faster the break-in process will go.
If you don’t feel any foot pain it means you can wear them to the basketball court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to break in a basketball shoe?
Naturally, it takes three weeks before you can comfortably wear them to the court, but there are some methods that can make this process faster.
Do NBA players have to break in their shoes?
Some of them do and some of them don’t. But actually, these elite sportsmen don’t need it, because their shoes are designed based on n exhaustive data collection.
How do you break in shoes fast?
There are some ways to break in new basketball shoes faster. You can use a thick sock or a shoe stretcher to make your shoes more comfortable. You can also try the finger method to stretch the toe box of the shoe.
Is it normal for basketball shoes to hurt at first?
Yes, it’s normal when basketball shoes hurt at first. However, it mustn’t be severe pain. Make sure you’ve chosen the right size. Your shoes are not to be too tight or too loose. Remember, for basketball players the comfort of their feet is the priority.
To draw the point
When you buy new pair of basketball shoes be ready that they can hurt at first. However, they mustn’t be too tight, because you don’t want your feet to suffer from blisters.
Make sure you’ve chosen the right size and the right type of shoes. Remember that your main priority is comfort and not what a famous basketball player wears.
But still, there are some methods to make basketball shoes loosen up. You can try to do it naturally by wearing them around the house, performing some drills, and playing a full-out competitive basketball game.
Naturally, breaking in new pair of basketball shoes takes three weeks.
Usually, basketball players try some faster methods to break in basketball shoes. You can try the finger method, shoe stretcher or wearing socks that are thick enough to loosen up new shoes (or wear two pairs of normal socks).
Sometimes you just need to adjust the laces or use them to tie the shoe tongue up away from the ankle. It will take some time but then it will help to shape the tongue and avoid scraping. Read about Best Basketball Shoes for Casual Wear
