Footwear profiles and foot-related problems of male netball players

Introduction: Netball, originally known as ‘women’s basketball’, was initially designed and traditionally administered as a sport exclusively for women. Since the early 1980’s, however, male participation in netball has grown with a 48% and 240% increase in men’s and boy's participation in netball since 2016, respectively. This is the highest growth rate of any adult men’s sport in Australia. Integrating males into a historically female-only sport has raised important questions about the design and fit of netball equipment for males, such as footwear. Although a wide range of netball shoe models are available for female netball players, the footwear needs of male netball players have been largely neglected by researchers and shoe manufacturers. Therefore, this study aimed: (i) to document the current footwear profiles and foot-related problems reported by male netball players and (ii) to determine whether the foot-related problems differed between men who wore netball-specific shoes and men who did not. Methods: 279 amateur, sub-elite and elite male netball players completed a custom-design online survey with questions pertaining to netball experience, current netball footwear habits and history of foot-related problems. Participants were grouped as either: (i) netball-specific shoe wearers or (ii) other shoe type wearers. Foot-related problems were then considered in logistic regressions against netball-specific shoe wear to ascertain significant relationships (p < 0.05) and predictive values (odds ratio). Results: A large proportion (70.3%) of male netball players reported that they did not wear shoes specifically designed for the sport. Instead, many men opted to wear basketball (32.2%) or running (17.9%) shoes for their netball activity in lieu of netball-specific footwear. Nearly 30% of men reported previously wearing netball-specific shoes manufactured specifically for women; with a lack of netball-specific footwear options for men and aesthetics being the most common reasons why. Foot-related problems and foot pain were reported by 81.6% and 54.3% of male netball players, respectively; with ankle sprains/strains, blisters and bruised toenails being the most common problems. Netball-specific shoe wear was not a predictor of whether male netball players experienced foot-related problems or pain. Discussion: The large proportion of male netball players not wearing a shoe designed explicitly for netball is alarming because wearing footwear that has not been designed to cater for the demands of a sport can increase the risk of injuries and impair performance. Furthermore, footwear that is ill-fitting and that is not based on the foot dimensions of individuals who are likely to wear the shoes can lead to foot-related problems, pain and discomfort. Based on the study results it is likely that footwear type is contributing to the high prevalence of foot-related problems and pain reported by male netball players. Furthermore, current netball-specific shoes appear to be failing to meet the requirements of male netball players, particularly regarding fit, comfort and functionality. Impact and Application to the field: Developing netball-specific footwear for males based on the requirements of male players, including the foot dimensions of men, is necessary to ensure proper shoe fit, prevent foot-related problems and, in turn, optimise netball performance. Conflict of Interest Statement: My co-authors and I acknowledge that we have no conflict of interest of relevance to the submission of this abstract.