A majority of people on the Earth wear some type of footwear every day. There is a tremendous of variety to choose from. The history of footwear has seen a great many changes in styles and types that are worn. Change has particularly been the case for sports shoes. There are so many that they can be find is stores that only sell them.

For most of human history the footwear for athletic endeavors was not much different than that for everyday use. Footwear was often specialized for different work situations and climates. Firefighters would need different footwear than the local businessman. There was not as much focus on athletics and certainly not making footwear to enhance performance. Needs for workers fueled the making of shoes at this point as an opposed to athletic endeavors. This has drastically changed over that past decades.

The increase in leisure time in the early twentieth century coincided with manufacturing processes that would allow for an increasing variety of footwear. The following decades led to an increase in the quality of and specialization of the shoe for sporting endeavors. A person of a hundred years ago would probably be overwhelmed by what is available today in the marketplace.

The traditional sneaker was once used for a variety of sports. This rubber soled shoe was adequate. It might be worn by both tennis players and basketball players. Today those participating in these sports would wear a different type of shoe. The simple sneaker no longer is expected to cover many sports.

The demand for a shoe of different types coincided with the advancing technology and understanding of body mechanics. Different sports have different needs for their footwear. A shoe made for tennis today are now far different than those made for basketball players. There is differing needs for dealing with impact and physical stresses.

Footwear is offered in a tremendous variety. Some of these sports are football, wrestling, and a plethora of track events. It is expected that these athletes use specialized shoes. It would be unusual to see someone wearing an inappropriate shoe type when participating.

The footwear is intended to increase performance when worn in either daily practice or competition. They are also developed to help the prevent potential injury of the participant. Within a type of sport there are shoes offered for different levels of competition and body types. The increase in the number of female athletes in the past decades has prompted companies to research and offer shoes for their particular needs.

Potential buyers of these products are offered numerous choices. Many make promises that they will offer certain benefits. These are often promoted by well known athletes. It is important for a consumer to research and make their own decision on these claims before buying. There are more products available which means their are more questionable ones as well as better ones.

Sports shoes can be found for just about any athletic activity. They can even be specialized for used with water like water aerobics and sail boarding. The growth of manufacturing these athletic footwear expanded greatly over the past century. This was fueled by demand and increased technology.