Common pickleball injuries and how to avoid them

Pickleball has a reputation as a gentle, low-impact sport, and for the most part that holds up. But the quick, short bursts of movement common in the game do carry some real injury risk, especially for players jumping in without much racquet sport background. This is general information, not medical advice, and any persistent pain or injury should be checked by a medical professional. Browse our directory for venues with well-maintained surfaces, since court condition is one of the factors within your control.

The injuries that come up most often

A handful of injury types account for most of what players report:

• Ankle sprains: the most common issue, caused by quick side-to-side movement and sudden stops, particularly around the kitchen line where players change direction frequently.
• Knee strain: similar cause to ankle sprains, aggravated by repeated lateral movement on a hard court surface.
• Pickleball elbow: a repetitive-motion strain similar to tennis elbow, caused by the repeated wrist and forearm motion of dinking and volleying over many sessions.
• Lower back strain: often from bending low for dinks and low volleys without proper form, especially in players returning to activity after a long break.
• Shoulder strain: less common but occurs with overuse of overhead shots or serves, particularly among more competitive players.

Injury	Common cause	Prevention focus
Ankle sprain	Sudden direction changes	Supportive shoes, ankle stability exercises
Knee strain	Repeated lateral movement	Warm-up, gradual increase in play frequency
Pickleball elbow	Repetitive wrist motion	Proper paddle grip, rest between sessions
Lower back strain	Poor form on low shots	Core strength, correct bending technique

Warming up matters more than it feels like it should

A short warm-up, even five to ten minutes of light movement, dynamic stretching, and a few easy practice shots, meaningfully reduces strain injury risk. This matters even for casual, social games, since cold muscles and joints are more vulnerable to sudden lateral movement than warmed-up ones. Skipping the warm-up because a game feels relaxed is one of the more common and avoidable mistakes players make. Heat adds another layer of risk on top of these strain injuries for outdoor sessions; our guide to playing safely in the heat covers the warning signs worth watching for.

Footwear and court surface

Court shoes designed for lateral movement, rather than running shoes built primarily for forward motion, provide meaningfully better ankle support during the quick side-to-side footwork pickleball demands. Playing on a cracked, uneven, or poorly maintained surface also raises injury risk independent of footwear, so a well-kept court is worth factoring into where you choose to play regularly.

Grip and sole wear matter too, and it is easy to overlook. Shoes that have lost their tread from months of regular use offer less traction on a court surface than newer ones, even if they still feel comfortable, so it is worth checking the sole condition periodically rather than only replacing shoes once they feel obviously worn out.

Pacing yourself as you build up frequency

Players who jump from occasional play to several sessions a week too quickly are more prone to overuse injuries like pickleball elbow and knee strain, since the body has not had time to adapt to the new load. Building up frequency gradually over a few weeks, rather than all at once, gives muscles, tendons, and joints time to adjust.

This applies particularly to players returning after a break, whether from injury, travel, or simply a busy stretch of life. The instinct is often to pick up right where you left off, but easing back in over a couple of weeks reduces the risk of re-aggravating an old strain or developing a new one from deconditioned muscles suddenly working hard again.

When to actually stop and rest

Ordinary post-game soreness that fades within a day or two is normal. Pain that persists beyond that, worsens with continued play, or noticeably affects your movement is a signal to rest and, if it does not improve, see a medical professional rather than pushing through. Recognizing this distinction early tends to prevent a minor strain from turning into a longer-term issue that keeps you off the court for weeks instead of days.

Our ranking method factors in how well venues maintain their courts, which is worth a look if surface condition is a concern in your area.