Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy and reliability of basketball footwear fit perception, testing protocols of different complexity. Methods: Three fit perception protocols of different complexity were applied: a) Basketball Specific Course (BSC), b) Basic Course and c) Step-In. Three test shoe conditions using an identical basketball shoe model with half a size larger (large), matched size (medium) and half a size smaller (small) according to participants` individual foot size were used. Twenty-nine university basketball players provided their perception scores of twelve fit variables. Perception scores were analysed by Friedman and Wilcoxon tests. Significance level was set at p < 0.05. For reliability analyses, a retest (day 2) was performed two weeks after the first test day (day 1) during which identical procedures were applied with the same participants. Shoe x Day (3 × 2) analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) of shoe ratings were used to determine inter-day effect and inter-day reliability. Results: All protocols demonstrated perception scores corresponding to the actual dimensions of larger and smaller shoes. The Step-In protocol allowed the best shoe differentiation. The Step-In and the Basic Course protocols showed substantial inter-day reliability (ICC > 0.6 to ? 0.8) for six out of twelve fit variables. In contrast, the BSC protocol showed substantial inter-day reliability for only one out of twelve fit variables. Perception ratings of collar girth, rearfoot width, heel counter, midfoot width, and midfoot girth did not show substantial inter-day reliability in any of the protocols. Conclusion: Less complex fit perception protocols were found to be more reliable compared to a more complex protocol. Several fit variables evaluated for the heel and the midfoot did not show substantial reliability in any of the perception protocols, indicating that those variables may not be measured subjectively with consistent outcomes or that alternative variable-specific testing protocols are warranted.
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