By Toni Cicone
See the issue: October 2008

You put a lot of thought into the type of shoes you wear to train and compete, but what about your socks?  

According to the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, socks do three things for an athlete’s feet: minimize friction, protect from pressure and promote healthy skin. If you’re wearing the wrong socks, your shoes can be worthless. Read on for the AAPSM’s sock analysis and tips for choosing the right type.  

Fibers
Natural
•    Cotton: soft and absorbent; limited use in sports due to poor performance
•    Wool: good for warmth and intermediate moisture output
•    Silk: used for thermal insulation

Man-made
•    Acrylic: excellent all-around fiber
•    Polyester: good wicking properties to keep feet dry
•    Polypropylene: good for medium to high moisture output
•    Nylon: used as a reinforcement fiber

Construction
•    Thin flat knit: used as a liner or in lightweight socks
•    Thick terry knit: best construction for padding and protection
•    Double layer: excellent for blister protection

Styles
•    Crew: standard sock design; ends at bottom of calf
•    Mini crew: lower cut for lightweight performance; popular among runners
•    Roll-top: lowest cut; popular among golfers
•    Over the calf: tall socks; used by skiers, soccer and baseball players

Fitting recommendations
•    Shoes and socks should be fitted together
•    Measure your foot while wearing an athletic sock
•    Thicker, padded socks require a half- to full-size shoe increase
•    Avoid wearing tube socks, because they fail to conform to the foot

Your sock size is not the same as your shoe size. Refer to the chart below to determine your ideal fit.

Men
Shoe size 7-8 8.5-9 9.5-10 10.5-11 11.5 12-12.5 13-14 14.5-16 16.5-18	Sock size  10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13 14 15 16
Women
Shoe size 5.5-6.5 6.5-7.5 8-9 9.5-10.5 10.5-11.5 11.5-12 12.5-13	Sock size 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5

 
For more information, check out aapsm.org.

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