Is Barefoot Tennis A Thing?? ( And Can It Improve Your Game?)

[@FootDoctorZach]

Check out my 5 favorite shoes this year: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKTRnK1jq7Jsr7M

[@kyzersoze.musicology]

Dude.... this is such an awesome recommendation. I did this once by accident and it totally makes a difference!! I 100% recommend this to anyone.

[@FootDoctorZach]

🤙 thanks glad you agree!

[@kuruptgt]

I'm going to walk up to barefoot players in public parks and ask, "Tennis Pro Doc subscriber?"

[@FootDoctorZach]

LOL

[@milanboskovic9618]

LMAO

[@hooha1692]

You 100% absolutely deserve more views. Your content is amazing.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Thanks! Glad you like it!

[@TestarossaMusicista]

Awesome video. I've been curious about this. I started barefoot running about a year ago and I love it. It trained me to get off my heel and start running with my forefoot which has helped me even with shoes on.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Thanks! Yep it’s definitely a great training tool to get you to understand your own physiology

[@darylldumo75]

Us Filipinos in the Philippines play many sports in barefeet all the time. I appreciate you making a video about it because it enlightened me a lot

[@FootDoctorZach]

Glad you liked it! What court surface are you usually playing on?

[@Craigstaaygear]

I been playing tennis barefoot for a few months. Love it!

[@Craigstaaygear]

My big toes get a bit torn up though. I been taping them and it works good

[@FootDoctorZach]

That’s commitment!

[@Craigstaaygear]

Its fun! The first few times I played barefoot, my feet were quite tender the next 3-4 days but as Ive went on, theyve gotten more and more resilient. I just love the way I move barefoot. Its definitely a competitive disadvantage bc u cant get to some shots you would be able to in shoes but Im playing for the cardio benefits and for fun. It also kinda acts as a regulator to not over extend or try to get to a ball that is out of reach, keeps me honest in that regard. Its great fun! Tape your big toes and youre ready to go. Cheers Doc

[@jenniferd.7384]

Thank you for exploring this topic. Love your videos they really help me discern what to look for in a shoe. When i started tennis three years ago i researched and researched on whether playing barefoot was a good option for me as i had already been a barefoot runner and minimalist shoe wearer for several years. With not much on the topic back then i decided to play in my Vibram 5 finger shoes and with my Vibrobarefoot Primus minimal sneakers. I was taking lessons, playing 7 hrs a week and played 75 matchs that year as a beginner level player. After the year and many wins ☺️ i suffered from acute pain in my achilles and could hardly walk anymore after each match 🥺😩my achilles had had just too much strain put on it. Loooking back, the more i had improved, the more demanding the game had become and my feet in minimal wear could not keep up. I sought help, had some mesotherapy, was off of tennis for 2 months and with my sports doctor’s advice got a proper tennis shoe for myself (went for the Asics Gel Res 7 at time). When playing with tennis shoes the game quickly became pain free and was so much better and no discomfort after the matches--i could walk!🙂. I continued to improve my game. Looking back, i would say what you say….you can try to play a few minutes but not matchs. One needs a shoe for the very unnatural movements of the body. The explosive moves to the sides and back and forth just demand too much in barefeet. I still have problems finding the right shoe for my game as my level improves. Shoes are very stiffling to my foot. After this season, 25 matchs, high beginner/low intermediate level, i suffered from acute plantar fasciitis…was using the new balance 996 shoes, and the nike serena williams shoes…too light and minimal for my feet. I figure i have some kinetic chain regulations to make, but i am looking fwd to trying the Addidas Solecourt Boost, just hope my toes don’t slide to tip like they did in the Addidas Addizerro where both my toes got blackened by the trauma last season…took a year to them to grow back in. Oh well….my Asicis have always been the ones i come back to, but had some knee stuff goes on after the games. I will try those Addidas Boost next season.🙂 Still learning.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Glad you’re getting out there and playing- yeah I would guess after barefoot that much your Achilles would be screaming- if you have good luck with Asics that’s a good play- I love the Serena flares but yeah they’re a drop in midsole and really minimalist which can set you up for pain- right now IMO boost is the best midsole foam for joint/ bone/ soft tissue protection

[@chetanvinayak6799]

@@FootDoctorZach hi my name is chetan from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 I love ❤️ being in my barefeet oh yeah sounds very exciting I liked your video I am gay can you actually play tennis 🎾 barefeet

[@MPTennis]

This is so cool. I do barefoot training in the gym all the time unless I do intense running and jumping. Everything else, lifts, etc I do barefoot. It's a great feeling. I've yet to try it with tennis since I have big toe problems from the constant bang on my feet lol. Would you say in pros sneakers theyhave minimal cushion or more on the maximum side? Great vid. Thanks for sharing!

[@FootDoctorZach]

That’s awesome- for the pros is really all over the place- most choose for a more dense foam but typically they go a tad more maximalist just because of how much they’re training and the risk of stress fracture/ repetitive stress injury with their training- but a lot of clay court players will go more minimal just because you can get away with it more - glad you liked it!

[@MPTennis]

@@FootDoctorZach Thanks for the reply. Awesome stuff!

[@FootDoctorZach]

Thanks 🤙

[@stefanrahovean]

Very interesting concept! I remember playing last year in my Vibram Five Fingers and it was amazing in terms of how much feedback I got from the court. The 3mm rubber outsole was just enough so I can handle the high friction from changing direction laterally. Nowadays our feet muscles are so weak because all the padding we get with the trendy 40mm midsoles 😄🎾

[@FootDoctorZach]

Oh yeah, the five fingers are a cool concept to do some training in just so there’s no risk of brush burn 👍👍

[@albareda17]

vibram in clay not feasible for changing directions in my experience :(

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yeah I wouldn’t even try it on clay

[@albareda17]

@@FootDoctorZach btw Dr Zach I want to thank you all the valuable content in your channel. Been learning a lot with your videos. Let me know if u have any referal links or products to support you. Also, one question I have: if i am the kind of guy with very wide feet ( in the toes), and a eu 47 asics is making my bunion worse even though they are long enough, is there any brand/model/size option that could fit my needs? Thx in advance. (Currently bought a 46eu kswiss express light 2 and not wide enough im afraid.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Thanks! I’ll be putting T-shirts up soon - I think for bunions the best is the adidas scb and blushields

[@joshuaputra2470]

As a child, I always play barefoot basketball on a concrete court because basketball shoes are very expensive (used to be) in Indonesia. I started using basketball shoes during my high school days, and coincidentally I started to have ankle problems. Nowadays I still play with basketball shoes but I always remove/replace the insole to avoid ankle injuries.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yeah sometimes its hard to fit a basketball shoe with tennis footwork depending on the shoe

[@jorgeandrescoppiano]

Minimalist barefoot shoes are the thing!👈🏼👌🏼 Xero HFS (go half a size up says the manufacturer) Barefooting definitely makes you see how much of the work the shoes are doing for you, instead of the feet, calves, legs. Tennis shoes allow you to do a lot of moves that without shoes, they would be barely possible and would injure us. And so many of our smaller muscles are weak.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yep- I mean I wouldn’t ever try to play a whole match just because of the side to side and I do think a lot of shoes help our bodies last many more years than without but for training purposes there really isn’t anything else like really just seeing what your foot and your foot only is capable of

[@sebastianfunk9564]

Hey doc, What shoe would you recommend for tennis which is close to Barefoot shoes like Vivo barefoot? Wide toe box, etc...

[@FootDoctorZach]

Ubersonic 4 is probably the best match to that

[@albareda17]

yes very good question!

[@pbc_03]

I'm so glad I found your channel! first of all, great content! I was curious about your opinion about minimalist and or zero drop shoes for tennis. For example, the reebok nano shoes designed for crossfit. They have a zero drop from heel to toe and are not as thickly padded as traditional tennis shoes. Another standout feature is their wider toe box which allow the toes to splay out. Do you think these are adequate for tennis? My foot is a bit on the wider side and the bone right behind the pinky toe bothers me after long sessions. I'm at a point where im thinking of wearing my vibram 5 finger shoes just to see if I can handle the impact on the court. I look forward to your response.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Thanks! I wouldn’t chance it with them, the flange isn’t wide enough and the rubber will either stick or burn through- something like the Lacoste ag-lt is very minimal drop as are the adidas stycon boa’s - also the adidas solecourt boost is very wide - I’d go with that before trying something not meant for the side to side movement of tennis, as it could lead to a bigger injury

[@dandalee]

I've started using my Whitin barefoot trail runners while doing some lighter training, like hitting against a wall. I've noticed that my footwork is actually worlds better. However, the doc is right: you need to work up to it, because your foot muscles are much weaker than you think from all the years of wearing shoes. That being said, I think I'm about 2 weeks away from using barefoot shoes in a real match!

[@pbc_03]

@@dandalee interesting! Please keep us updated on your experience. I wear barwfoot shoes daily and my feet, ankles and knees feel much better. Like you, im thinking of wearing barefoot shoes for tennis.

[@FootDoctorZach]

I’d be interested in how you feel the day after a barefoot match

[@Sinisterg60]

​@FootDoctorZach HI Doc, I have worn Xero shoes for everything the last 4 years. When I got back into tennis last year I continued to wear barefoot shoes. After matches everything from SI down to toes hurt after a longer match. I would need an NSAID and an Epsom salt bath not to feel like death. It's fine for light rallying but I ended up buying some actual tennis shoes. I just wish someone made an actual foot shaped tennis shoe with a minimal drop. Say 4mm.

[@henrydecoster5823]

This is probably great for strengthening ankle muscles as well!

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yup lower leg gets a workout from it too

[@KoBizme]

I do every thing I can barefoot. On the court and at home

[@FootDoctorZach]

👍👍

[@caseyjo5714]

Ooooo as a barefoot-runner & minimalist-shoe-wearer, I am looking for a good minimalist shoe to play tennis in! Any recommendations?

[@FootDoctorZach]

Good question - I’d say the Nike court flares, vapor pros, vapor lites , Ubersonic 4’s are probably the most low to the ground you’re going to get- tennis shoe all have an inherent padding to stop you from spraining so you’re only going to get so low to the ground on an actual tennis court shoe - surprisingly the adidas stycon is pretty low to the ground feeling as well

[@dandalee]

Casey, here's a video of myself hitting against the tennis wall wearing the Whitin barefoot trail runners. I was quite doubtful about how this was going to work, but I have to be honest: it felt fantastic. Granted, my foot muscles were getting tired after about thirty minutes because I've only gotten into the barefoot concept about two months ago. But I'm about two weeks away from playing a full match in these things! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aV7YgoaGadWsiZo

[@lorenzozadro2892]

Xero 360

[@josephyfho]

Does that mean a pair of minimal tennis shoes could train up the foot muscles as well as leverage the technology of mid-sole?

[@FootDoctorZach]

It can, but some minimalist shoes actually put your foot in a not- so-optimal position so I’d either go barefoot/ 5 fingers over a more minimalist tennis shoe to really try and train your foot

[@jorgeandrescoppiano]

Which minimalist tennis shoes have you seen? I only remember NB having some

[@cadenadeau8524]

This is awesome!

[@FootDoctorZach]

Thanks! Are you going to try it?

[@cadenadeau8524]

@@FootDoctorZach I'd love to right now but I can't cuz covid.😩

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yeah amen hopefully this craziness ends soon

[@TheDrakulie]

Did you get your new Nike NXT yet ? we are dying to see the review from the expert ?

[@FootDoctorZach]

Nope probably not until next week earliest

[@chubun6631]

It's pretty normal for kids in poorer countries to play sports barefooted. We grew up playing soccer on asphalt streets, volleyball/basketball on concrete courts, ... and built up very tough soles. For example, we won't get cuts when stepping on small pieces of glass, but rather our feet crush the pieces. Anyway 30something years later living in the US, even though I still can run 5K barefoot at probably 90-95% of my normal speed, I would say I can do probably around 60%-70% in tennis. My soles do not have the thickness and toughness they once had and tennis requires sudden acceleration, direction changes, ... that would be very painful without thick soles. Running is much easier in this aspect. Even though you lose some traction every step, you don't have to deal with the aggressive abrasion caused by breaking, sliding, ... I did experience some muscle pains around my calf/shin/ankle areas when I first started running barefoot again, and found that jumping rope (HIT style, ie. keep jumping till you drop) help to alleviate the problem.

[@eduardinodecielo]

What about NIKE FREE? It’s been two months since I started my tennis warmup with NIKE FREE RUN 5. They let me improve my movements making me addicted to them. Now I’m considering testing FRE METCON. What’s your opinion? I have seen a lot of professional soccer and basketball players wearing them for their workout

[@masonwrisley2748]

Been asking this question for years

[@FootDoctorZach]

It’s definitely worth the discussion

[@masonwrisley2748]

I don’t know if you have been seeing the comments or not but is it possible that we could see a review of a stria sports shoe

[@FootDoctorZach]

I have- just a lot of shoes to get to- it’s on my list

[@danielyoussef2612]

Don't think my achilles in it's current state would appreciate me testing this one out right now! Any idea what Milos Raonic is wearing at the Australian Open? Are those new unreleased Lavs?

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yeah that’s a definite no then haha- yeah those are the lavs that are coming later in the year- they look awesome

[@jlcartoon]

awesome info! is there are a barefoot / minimalist style of tennis shoes you recommend? i just bought a pair of adidas SoleMatch Control after seeing the review you did on them. However, the toe box is way too small and I think i will have to return them. Thanks!

[@FootDoctorZach]

Not really- I spose the uncivilized shoe would be the best

[@cdahl]

I definitely want to try barefoot tennis. I've been barefoot for 7 years in all other aspects of my life. I don't understand why you think heel to toe is the best gait though. It sort of contradicts everything you said in the video. You said you preferred to split step more when barefoot and your footwork improved, you said there is more padding in the forefoot/midfoot compared to the heel, you also said all barefoot runners spend less time on the heel,. And on top of that, if you check out pro runner gaits, even when they're not barefoot, they still use a forefoot strike. And as far as shortening the achilles, I also don't agree with this. Most people who walk and run landing on the heel do this because of the padding they have on their shoes; padding that 99% of the time is accompanied by a large heel drop. This keeps the foot in a plantar flexed position and also impedes you from anything other than heel striking, even when just walking. So if anything, THAT would shorten the achilles, or at the very least significantly reduce dorsiflexion/mobility in the calf/ankle. I've lived that first hand. I could barely put my feet at 90 degrees before going barefoot. Now that being said, I do understand the learning curve/adaption of going barefoot. You may have only been able to handle 15min of barefoot tennis, but you also confessed to how weak your foot muscles were. I would venture to guess that if you had been barefoot most of your life you'd be able to handle more than 15min. But I could definitely see a situation where someone with poor ankle mobility, who is used to high drop tennis shoes, goes barefoot and puts more strain on his or her achilles. Sports Injury Physio and Treat My Achilles have some videos on this. I'm going to test barefoot tennis, and also bring some of my minimal shoes (Lems and Fivefingers) and use those as well. I'm very curious to how I'll do. My current tennis shoes (Adidas Defiant Bounce 2) were the lowest drop shoes I cold find in my local tennis store and that also had a decently wide toe box.

[@FootDoctorZach]

I dont think heel to toe is the “best” gait, there really isn’t a best gait, just the “ most efficient” for your body type- heel to toe is by all research the most consistent gait and when done correctly the most biomechanically advantageous to your leg and foot muscles, but that doesn’t mean its best for running, most runners i treat are midfoot strikers, the ones who are solely forefoot usually are the stress fracture patients i see- I treat a good amount of people who use zero drop running shoes and run heel to toe and have great success, but they are really well trained, the other contingent of patients i treat are weekend warriors that if they didn’t have a huge heel stack would be injured every time they ran 😂

[@cdahl]

@@FootDoctorZach yea running forefoot is tricky to learn to do correctly if you pick it up later in your life. Especially since most people usually have no patience =D I had really tight calves when I started doing it, and I think I was so afraid to accidentally heel strike that I overcompensated and ran way too far up into my toes, afraid to land the heel at all. The KZbinr "Run Forefoot" injured herself from doing this. Btw I tried barefoot tennis for a few minutes on Friday, and also played for about 30min in my minimal shoes (Lems). Next I'm going to try playing in my Vibram Fivefingers. I'm really tempted to buy some Vivobarefoot shoes. When I compared my Adidas Bounce 2 shoes to my Lems I noticed the difference wasn't actually that big. That surprised me! Either my Lems aren't as minimal as I thought, or my Adidas are more minimal than I thought!

[@tenslein8977]

What if i want to play barefoot for an hour? I think i hurt my ankle while playing with shoes. It happened when turning and landing on my heel. I might’ve broken one of those soft bones because now that ankle can often be cracked when i stretch it.

[@drumhq]

Thanks for your video! I’m a minimalistic/barefoot shoe runner/walker/daily user and I have been using my minimalist shoe for tennis the past 3 months (I just started playing). It has been good thus far as I have never worn a tennis shoe and played with one to be able to compare the differences. However, I have recently considered a tennis shoe because I’ve read that it’s crucial for stability and lateral support from all the side to side and directional movements. Would you say the advantages of barefoot tennis outweighs the need for a tennis shoe that is supposed to help prevent injury with it’s build up support? I’m also thinking if it’s less stable because I will actually be higher off the ground vs a minimalistic shoe.

[@FootDoctorZach]

For tennis I don’t think barefoot as a steady diet can work long term - too much torque on the rear foot and midfoot

[@pm6314]

could definitely get away with doing this on some of the indoor carpet/acrylic courts

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yep just watch for threads getting into your skin causing pinching

[@kevenfitzgerald6323]

What are your thoughts on the barefoot sneakers (not for tennis...just for walking/running). I have been seeing a lot of videos recently about barefoot sneakers. Feel like they are becoming the new stand-up desk trend. Would be interested what your view as a foot doctor is of these barefoot sneakers are and if they would be something good to use (again...not for tennis)

[@FootDoctorZach]

I’m going to be doing a longer form video on this soon

[@tiesthijsthejs]

Wouldn’t it be more fair and more healthy to first have months of gradual training of the feet and body alignment to get used to going barefoot? And to use barefoot shoes as an in between phase? That’s what’s recommended everywhere by anyone taking barefoot serious. It takes a long time before one can assess the abilities and limitations.

[@FootDoctorZach]

I talk about this exact scenario in the video yep

[@tiesthijsthejs]

@@FootDoctorZach oh 😩 I’m sorry I did watch the whole video but must have lost focus

[@harshshitole6293]

I cannot play tennis barefoot on my local tennis court due to the debris but I can play barefoot at my home There is a lockdown going on currently so... I try playing barefoot!! My tennis mates think that it's foolish to do so!

[@FootDoctorZach]

Where are you located that you’re in lockdown? We just had ours lifted a little bit ago - yeah i definitely wouldn’t if there’s debris!

[@harshshitole6293]

Not a lockdown, I just go out of the house for buying groceries. I live in India though. We have a small space in our apartment where I cam play wall tennis, it's ceramic tile which is too smooth for the tennis shoes. That's why I prefer barefoot there! I can experiment with sliding wearing my Court FFs!

[@PoBoyR6]

I was thinking this video would be a low key advertisement for Xero Shoes...apparently the KZbin algorithm agrees because after the video I got hit with a Xero Shoes ad...haha...not hating on Xero Shoes though I have a pair and they are awesome but I'd never play tennis in them!

[@FootDoctorZach]

Haha nope no ads from me-I’d never advertise a shoe on the channel actually - would completely ruin my credibility

[@ayokay123]

Tried it once on a regular basketball court. The blister taught me to never do it again.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Yeah too long on skin especially with a grittier court is dangerous for sure

[@ayokay123]

@@FootDoctorZach Am wondering if wearing socks might be a good compromise?

[@FootDoctorZach]

You can, they’ll rip so I’d use ones that have a grip on the bottom

[@rossv3436]

Interesting. I didn’t know the cells in the foot replenished faster than other skin. Although, I don’t buy that barefoot runners try to stay in the air longer to give the cells time to replenish. My research of barefoot running means a shorter gait with higher turnover to minimize impact - so I think it’s kind of a wash. Less time on ground, but more often. Now hold my beer while I try sliding barefoot.😂

[@FootDoctorZach]

I accidentally slid a bit and it was horrendous 👀

[@thum842]

What about barefoot shoes, pls make a review about them.

[@atwntennisclub]

Absolute mad lad

[@FootDoctorZach]

Are you going to try it??

[@atwntennisclub]

@@FootDoctorZach maybe I'll give it a go on grass 🤣🤣

[@FootDoctorZach]

Haha that would definitely be more comfortable

[@danimalman3]

I wish you cut these in half so I can see what they're made of.

[@marbus76]

would u rec using something like a fivefinger running shoe on tennis as an alt? def feel big footwork form altho can't turn and pivot the same with tennis shoes obvi

[@FootDoctorZach]

If I’m going for some barefoot tennis training I probably would just to save my skin in a hot environment

[@lukacskata8611]

Hey,please respond! Where can I contact you? I want to ask some questions in private.

[@FootDoctorZach]

My contact info is in the about section of the channel. I do not give private/ personal medical advice due to legal reasons

[@lukacskata8611]

@@FootDoctorZach Okay,thanks,so I ask here then. I wanted to buy the Nike Air Zoom Vapor X,but unfortunately it’s not available right now. What can substitute this shoe? Which is the most similar?

[@lukacskata8611]

Which shoe can replace it the best?

[@FootDoctorZach]

Ubersonic 4 or solution speed

[@lukacskata8611]

Thank you! And I love your videos!

[@dombarker2113]

“You don’t use it, you lose it” comes from your skin regenerating a new layer in the time it takes to return to the ground? I like the training idea but some of the facts sound sketchy

[@FootDoctorZach]

It was a joke

[@renebarbier7637]

Please don't do this in a hot day because the hot hard court will absolutely destroy your feet

[@FootDoctorZach]

Amen to that- hot coals

[@geausportequipment]

Interesting

[@FootDoctorZach]

🤙

[@Reprezent101]

Not on clay courts, I guess. Interesting

[@FootDoctorZach]

If the clay is really well maintained you can hit in place relatively easy it’s just side to side on clay barefoot is a non-starter

[@samlee458]

foamposites? haha 👍🏼

[@FootDoctorZach]

Ohhhhh yeah

[@samlee458]

@@FootDoctorZach check out Nike Zoom BB NXT..outsole is a beast.

[@FootDoctorZach]

Will do 🤙

[@pipelines85]

NFW!

[@FootDoctorZach]

“ No Freaking Way” ? 😂

[@pipelines85]

@@FootDoctorZach off course!! 😉

[@Marko777ify]

😂🤣 you crazy bro?

[@FootDoctorZach]

Oh most definitely

[@jdo1775]

This is a stupid suggestion coming from a doctor

[@FootDoctorZach]

How so? I feel like I laid out the pros and cons pretty effectively considering the different phases of gait barefoot and maximalist runners go through plus how your epidermis/ cortical/ cancellous bone/ musculotendinous units respond to unsupported weight - I dunno seems like I put some thought into it

[@jorgeandrescoppiano]

Did you watch the whole video?