Tread Patterns and the Effect on Basketball Player Slippage

Abstract

The focus of this study was to investigate the effects that different basketball shoe outsole tread patterns have on the amount of slip and therefore the performance of the individual while undergoing normal basketball transitions. Tread grooves and patterns must exist on the outsole of a basketball shoe to account for the chances of contamination and for the practical durability of the shoes. With the existence of so many basketball shoes with varying tread patterns and characteristics it presents the question of whether or not varying patterns affect traction, slip, and athletic performance. This study evaluated the amount of slips of two pairs of basketball shoes with human participants running basketball drills on a hardwood basketball floor at Wartburg College. The results indicated that one shoe with a more unique tread pattern exhibited fewer slips and severe slips, especially when considering lateral movements, than the shoe with a tread pattern seen more often in shoes available on the market today.