Athletic shoes are especially intended for use in sports, athletics, and other activities that require flexible and heavy duty shoes. They are known in many different terms in different countries and places.

For instance, athletic shoes are known as sneakers or tennis shoes in North American English. They are referred to as runners, running shoes, or gutties in Canadian and Hiberno English. Athletic shoes are also called trainers (from the term “training shoes”) in British English and rubber shoes in Philippine English. In South African English, athletic shoes are called sport shoes, tennis, sneaks, gym shoes, or takkies. Athletic shoes in Australian English refer to sneakers, tennis shoes, running shoes, gym boots, runners, sandshoes, gutties, and joggers.

Structure and design of athletic shoes

Athletic shoes are made of flexible and durable materials to accommodate highly physical activities. Usually, their soles are made of solid rubber. From this basic design of athletic shoes, various subtypes of athletic shoes were developed to be more appropriate for specific sports and other physical activities. For example, athletic shoes for track and field, jogging, and other running activities were developed with spiked soles to prevent or minimize sliding or slipping. Bigger shoes were also developed for those who have big feet, especially for male basketball players who stand more than six-foot tall.

Types of athletic shoes

Athletic shoes refer to all types of footwear used in sports and other athletic activities. Generally, athletic shoes can be categorized into six: those used for running sports, court sports, winter sports, field sports, outdoor sports, and other specialty sports.

1. Running and track-and-field sports shoes usually have spiked bottoms, soft and comfortable upper parts or vamps, smooth tread, and a rocker sole designed to support the natural roll of the foot when running or walking.

2. Court sports athletic shoes are especially designed for sports such as basketball, volleyball,tennis, and other sports held in a court.

3. Field sport shoes are those used for sports held in a field such as baseball, soccer, and football. They are usually spiked, cleated, or studded.

4. Athletic shoes for winter sports are those specially designed for ice hockey, alpine and cross-country skiing, and figure skating.

5.Outdoor sports athletic shoes are those used for outdoor recreational activities such as boating, hunting, fishing, and trekking.

6. Specialty sports athletic shoes are the kind of footwear used for other specialty sports and activities such as golf, biking, and aerobics.