Carbon Fibre Basketball Shoes and Calf Injuries (Part 2) - Congratulations to the 2025 NBA Champions OKC.
Congratulations to the Oklahoma City Thunder on their 2025 NBA Championship victory. Their resilience, depth, and athleticism throughout the playoffs were nothing short of remarkable, culminating in a hard-fought Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers. While the celebration is well-deserved, Game 7 was also marked by a concerning incident involving Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton—an injury that raises important questions about modern footwear and its potential role in lower limb strain.
Tyrese Haliburton - 2025 NBA Finals vs OKC
According to ESPN, Haliburton was assisted off the court due to a lower right leg issue, sustained during non-contact play. Although full details of the injury are pending, the mechanism and context of the event suggest a possible link between footwear design and biomechanical overload.
Right ankle dorsiflexion prior to push off - Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton’s Signature Shoe and Calf Strain Risk
As explored in our previous article, Haliburton's signature shoe incorporates a full-length carbon fibre plate—a feature designed to enhance propulsion and energy return. However, recent biomechanical research has raised concerns about the unintended consequences of such stiff-soled footwear, particularly regarding increased strain on the posterior chain, including the gastrocnemius and soleus complex (Mcleod et al., 2020).
From my own experience, a similar calf strain occurred during warm-up while wearing a comparable shoe construction. The sudden onset of tightness prior to gameplay highlighted how even brief exposure can elicit adverse effects in susceptible individuals.
Clinical Implications for Athletes and Practitioners
This high-profile injury presents an opportunity to re-evaluate our clinical approach to footwear prescription, especially among elite and amateur athletes using carbon-enhanced designs. Key considerations include:
Targeted musculoskeletal screening prior to the use of high-stiffness footwear, particularly assessing calf muscle capacity and neuromuscular control.
Graduated exposure protocols to new shoe technologies, allowing the lower limb time to adapt to altered mechanical loads.
Footwear-specific education to help athletes weigh the performance benefits against potential injury risks.
Research by Mcleod et al. (2020) demonstrated that carbon-fibre plates reduce ankle dorsiflexion range during propulsion, increasing reliance on the proximal musculature for force generation. Over time or under fatigue, this shift may increase susceptibility to soft tissue strain or overload.
Final Thoughts
While definitive conclusions on Haliburton’s injury await medical confirmation, the circumstances resonate strongly with emerging biomechanical concerns. As footwear technology advances, so must our clinical strategies for injury prevention. The balance between innovation and safe load management remains critical.
References:
Mcleod, D., et al. (2020). Effects of carbon-fiber plate footwear on lower limb biomechanics during running. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(11), 1276–1283.
ESPN. (2025). Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton helped off with leg injury in Game 7