Anyone who actively plays basketball knows that taking care of their feet is very important, as basketball players wear basketball shoes for hours at a time during games and practices. During practice and games, the foot is constantly rubbing against the shoe, which can cause blisters if the right basketball socks are not worn to prevent this.
Basketball socks that prevent blisters should be padded in the toe area and around the ankle. They should be made of materials that wick and absorb sweat to keep the foot dry for as long as possible. And the sock must be compressive so that it grips the foot well and does not wrinkle during running.
Continue reading this post to find out what running socks need to prevent blisters. So you don’t spend $15-25 on a pair that doesn’t prevent blisters. Even the most recognized brands sell some socks that are not the best for preventing blisters.
Do basketball socks prevent blisters?
Basketball socks can prevent blisters if they work in a compressive way, so they don’t wrinkle during running. Basketball socks should contain at least 30% absorbent materials to soak up sweat and keep the foot dry for longer. Cushioned socks can absorb more sweat and are more comfortable.
To understand why basketball socks need to be compression, cushioned, and made of absorbent materials. We first need to explain how blisters form when playing basketball.
If you want to know what kind of socks NBA basketball players wear and where you can buy them, read more here.
Blisters occur in any sporting activity where there is increased friction of the foot against the shoe. This is even more common in basketball than in the running, as basketball requires a constant change of direction, with the weight shifting to the foot.
Foot rubbing against the shoe is even more frequent when the foot is wet and the toes start to rub together. If our feet are in a wet environment for a long time, in addition to blisters, we can also get foot fungal infections or athlete’s foot.
Below I will tell you how to choose the right socks for basketball to keep your feet healthy for as long as possible.
Use Cushioned/Thick Basketball Socks to Prevent Blisters
The foot is constantly rubbing against the basketball shoe due to running and changing direction while playing basketball. Cushioned socks can reduce rubbing where it is most common. The areas most vulnerable to blisters are the toes, heel, and back of the foot. Cushioned socks will make playing basketball much more comfortable.
Basketball socks can be thicker overall, or they can be thinner and only cushioned in certain areas. Whether the socks are only cushioned or thick can usually be seen in the picture if you buy online. The choice of materials influences the thickness and padding. If the materials are more absorbent, they have thicker fibers, making the socks more comfortable.
In the next section, you will find out more about the materials most commonly used in basketball socks.
Use sweat-absorbent Basketball Socks to prevent blisters
Sports socks are mostly made of polyester, which is a synthetic material. Polyester is so popular because it can be produced in large quantities and cheaply. Its characteristics are that it breathes well, wicks away sweat, and is elastic, so it fits nicely around the foot.
The only disadvantage that polyester has is that it does not absorb sweat. If you want to wear basketball socks to prevent blisters, you should choose socks containing at least 30% absorbent material. Absorbent materials include cotton, nylon, and wool.
Avoid wearing basketball socks containing 100% cotton. Cotton absorbs a lot of sweat but wicks away moisture poorly and quickly becomes soggy. This will keep your feet in a wet environment all the time, which is bad for your feet.
The best quality socks, such as Nike Dry Fit or Jordan, have a composition of 48% polyester/32% nylon/13% cotton/7% elastane. Nylon is a better material for sports socks because it dries quickly. Conversely, cotton is more suitable in this material combination because it is very comfortable.
Nike basketball socks are the best and most popular among basketball players from all over the world. Even NBA players wear them. You can see why Nike basketball socks are so good here.
But be careful when choosing basketball socks because just because the manufacturer is Nike, Adidas, Jordan, or Under Armour does not mean that these socks also prevent blisters. Before buying, read the material composition, in which absorbent materials (nylon, cotton, wool) must account for at least 30%. It is better to have more nylon or wool than cotton.
In my opinion, these are the 3 best running socks that I and many NBA stars wear to play basketball:
- Stance Icon Sport Crew Socks
- NIKE Dry Elite 1.5 Crew Basketball Socks
- Nike Jordan Jumpman Dri-Fit Crew
- NIKE Dry Elite Crew Basketball Socks
Basketball Socks should be elastic to prevent blisters
Another reason why blisters often occur when playing basketball is that socks can wrinkle during play. If you wear basketball socks that are not elastic and do not provide compression, they will start to wrinkle as you run.
Wrinkling causes blisters to form more quickly, which can start to hurt during practice or a game. Basketball socks need to be elastic, which is taken care of by polyester or nylon, which are very elastic materials. However, elastane is often added for extra compression and makes up less than 10% of the material composition.
How do NBA players not get blisters?
Professional basketball players who play in the NBA wear the highest quality basketball socks. They wear the best socks from their sponsors, which are thick, cushioned, comfortable, and absorbent. Some players even wear two pairs of socks.
You can prevent blisters by wearing thick socks; your socks will be even thicker if you wear two pairs of socks. NBA basketball players also often wear two pairs of socks because they play 3-5 games a week and want to prevent blisters. Here you can read about the pros and cons of wearing two pairs of socks.
These are the basketball socks worn by the best NBA players: