Basketball/agility

[j3oomerang]

Hello, first post here. Hopefully it is not a repost, I did search. Been thinking about VFFs the last couple months and I was wondering what their performance is like for a game of basketball. Can the VFFs handle maximum lateral forces? I know they do fine running and sprinting in one direction, but how do they hold up when you stop on a dime or fiercely change direction at full speed? I think they would be great for agility training if they stay put and do not slide around once lateral forces are exerted. So which VFFs would you recommend for a game of basketball where you're sprinting, stopping, jumping, and changing direction constantly? Or would you at all?   

[EgoTrip]

I think it would be very dangerous to play hoops in VFFs. I would especially be concerned about my heels and ankles.

[Rana]

Welcome!

If I remember right, from what other people have said, the problem is less what playing in VFFs will do to your ankles and so on, and more the possibility of blisters.  VFFs are also not made with lateral shear in mind, so that may shorten the life of the shoes.  But a lot would depend on your own personal style of play.  Probably the more enclosed models would be better than the more open ones, just because they'd be more firmly on your feet.

[j3oomerang]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not worried about ankle support and safety as I am sacrificing that in the name better foot strength which will hopefully translate to better stability, balance, and quickness. Just wondering if the shoes will stay put under my foot throughout a game of basketball. Hopefully blisters is all I have to worry about, and hopefully a pair of injinji socks can take of any of that.

[LowNSlow]

Just make sure no one steps on your feet with their basketball shoes. OUCH.

[Kryx]

As much as I love VFFs this sounds like a bad idea.

The issues are as such: foot squishing from other players. Ankle twisting from lack of support while jumping for rebounds - I did this all the time in unfit shoes. And also shoe wear - depending how hard you on them I'd expect them to degrade rather quickly.

I'm sure they'll stay on your feet as long as you get some KSO, Biks, or Trek. I'd probably go with KSO. But again I have a feeling your ankle is going to get sprained very quickly.

[barefootnyc]

I've done some moderate speed basketball playing in VFFs, and have found them acceptable for play on both wood and asphalt courts. My hard full court running days are over, but I'm a very experienced player, and have found VFFs really fun to wear.

I don't see that basketball players need more ankle support than athletes in other sports where low tops are the norm. If I felt I needed extra support especially from an earlier injury, I'd go with a compression sleeve or taping. But training and playing in supportive shoes all the time is bound to weaken ankles. Look at dancers. They do amazing things--leaping and changing directions--in bare feet.

Landing on your heel just doesn't happen, at least it hasn't in my experience. You play up on your toes mostly any way--or you should. Jumping is great. Side to side movement is great. I guess the question is whether toes are more vulnerable because there's no cushioned surface underneath to dissipate shock from above. Regular basketball shoes don't actually offer that much protection on top. Hard cutting, I'm not sure about. But when I've played and gotten into the game, I've completely forgotten about my feet and everything went great.

I'd go with KSOs. Haven't tried Treks. Classics are fine for shooting around, but your foot comes out too easily for serious play.

Don't be afraid to try it out. If it doesn't work for you, no big deal.

[Kryx]

Ya I didn't mean to scare anyone away from trying it out. Just cautioning that a sprained ankle is the most common basketball injury. The traditional fix for this is more ankle support. If you find another way to compensate for this when you jump I'd be all for it. But sprained ankles are no fun.

[Dimon003]

I like to play hoops in VFFs，it can be very light and flexible. But it’s very easily sprain ankles. 

[benkoala]

I have played in Classics, KSOs, KSO Treks, and Bikilas, all with or without Injinji socks. I do not recommend the classics. The best for me was Bikilas without socks. The Treks were better than the plain KSOs, each better with socks than without. After playing basketball in them literally dozens of times, my Treks show a lot of wear, with some slight tearing in the toes. They just aren't meant for that activity.

The Bikilas I have also used dozens of times for basketball, and they show no wear, though they have gotten dirty (I should wash them since they kind of smell too). The other models would start to beat up the soles of my feet on hardwood if I played for more than an hour, with or without socks. Perhaps the Bikilas are better at absorbing the blows, or my feet have toughened up, or some combination of the two most likely, because my feet don't get beat up like the other models. They do get more sore than if playing in traditional basketball shoes.

As for performance, I can run circles around the other players, though I am a naturally fast person anyways. I can maneuver brilliantly with no shoes weighing me down. They have great grip on the floor. The other players often jest and I have become notorious for my choice of footwear. They comment about being careful about people stepping on my feet. Has that happened yet? I think maybe once or twice, but it didn't bother me whatsoever. They respect the shoes when they see how I perform in them.

[barefootnyc]

Nice to hear that the Bikilas work for basketball. Except now I'll have to think about acquiring yet another pair of VFFs.   

[Jimmy Hart]

Ya I didn't mean to scare anyone away from trying it out. Just cautioning that a sprained ankle is the most common basketball injury. The traditional fix for this is more ankle support. If you find another way to compensate for this when you jump I'd be all for it. But sprained ankles are no fun.

i'm a coach and trainer to multiple athletes and just like volleyball the most common injury in basketball is a sprained ankle but most of that is because of the over use of ankle braces.  constant use of a brace will weaken the muscles and connective tissue designed to support the ankle.  i've used barefoot agility training with basketball players of all levels from AAU to the NBA with great success.  my advice is do some agility training in the vffs first to get your body used to it and then take it to the court.  the bottoms of your feet will get sore the first time or two that you hit the court if they are not used to having so little protection under them but after the initial adjustment period you'll be fine. 

i do like the thicker conventional shoe for basketball because of all the harsh landing forces but a high top shoe or ankle brace needs to be taken out of the equation so you can strengthen your legs and allow them the ability to prevent future injuries.  everyone called Kobe crazy for ditching high tops and going to a thinner soled lighter shoe but he has not had any ankle problems since the switch...not so crazy was it? 

[Kryx]

You're probably right: Strengthening leg/ankle muscles is definitely the way to go. Though people transitioning should definitely build up their muscles before playing in a game. Sprained ankles are the worst.

[inbetweenmytoes]

I've played ball a number of times in KSOs. The only real issue is getting my foot stepped on occasionally. When this happens, a toe or two get pulled out of the toe packet, and a quick break to readjust follows. Check out more details of my experience here.

[j3oomerang]

Wow, I'm loving the success stories. Can't wait to try this out, but of course I'm new to all this so I'll have to work myself up. I'm thinking about going with the new Trek Sports, but why aren't they on Vibram's website?