Recognising the specific footwear needs of older females playing court sports

Abstract

Despite the importance of physical activity for all, there has been little research on the footwear needs of older adults in sports with multi-directional movements. User involvement work found comfort, width and cushioning were key for older adults in a court sports shoe, with reports of running shoes sometimes chosen instead due to superior comfort and cushioning (Reeves et al., 2022). Since footwear selection may affect injury risk, it is important to identify population specific needs for sports. This may be most relevant for older females, who are more susceptible to injuries in old age than males (WHO, 2008).