Effect of toe box size on basketball-specific movement performance

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Science
• Footwear Engineering

Background:

• Basketball players often use tight-fitting shoes, potentially limiting foot function.
• The impact of expanded toe box (TB) designs on basketball movement performance is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how expanded toe box designs affect basketball movement performance.
• To inform the development of advanced, performance-enhancing basketball footwear.

Main Methods:

• A controlled laboratory study with a within-subject crossover design was used.
• Thirty basketball players performed sprints, lateral shuffles, and sidestep cuts in six shoe versions with varying toe allowance dividing line (TADL) and sole center line (SCL) rotation.
• Movement time, ground reaction forces, propulsion impulse, and joint kinematics were measured.

Main Results:

• A 3-mm TADL extension significantly improved sprint, lateral shuffling, and sidestep cutting times (P < 0.01) and increased propulsion impulse (P < 0.01).
• A 1.5-mm TADL extension improved sprint time (P < 0.05) but had limited effects on other movements.
• A 2° SCL rotation did not yield significant performance improvements (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Shoes with enlarged toe boxes enhance both forward and lateral movements in basketball players.
• Inward TADL extension optimizes performance by improving foot mobility and force transmission.
• These findings suggest a shift from conventional tight-fitting shoes towards designs that enhance agility and potentially reduce injury risk.