Table Tennis Shoes

andrew brand Asked 13 years ago

hi pingskills, can you tell me why table tennis shoes are designed with very flat soles, and no cushioning under the foot? it seems squash shoes have much more cushioning, i have foot problems and find tt shoes quite unforgiving. thanks.

Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi Andrew,

This is an interesting question. I don't particularly like the design of the old Table Tennis shoes. They didn't provide any support and could lead to a lot of foot problems. You do need to find a shoe that has good support.

The reason they were designed with a flat sole was so that with the sideways movement of Table Tennis you wouldn't get the heel caught as you were moving. However I think a small heel with support is better than no support and the chance of heel injury.

I would make sure you choose something with support even if you have to go to a general indoor sports shoe.

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andrew brand Posted 13 years ago

i agree, i have plantar fasciitis, and the tt shoes are really uncomfortable to walk in, they seem ok when playing but that may be because my mind is on the game not my feet. im going to pick some good squash shoes the next time i buy a pair. they have flat soles but much more cushioning it seems. thanks for your input.