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Health Guide
Health Guide
Common Pickleball Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Pickleball is low-impact, but it is not injury-free. Here is what commonly goes wrong and how to play smarter.
Pickleball-related injuries have risen sharply as the sport’s popularity has grown, with studies pointing to fractures and sprains as the most common issues and the shoulder as the most frequently affected area. The good news: most causes are preventable.
1
Warm up before every session
A short dynamic warm-up (light cardio, arm circles, lunges) prepares muscles and joints for the quick starts and stops the sport demands.
2
Build lower-body strength off the court
Research shows agility and balance training reduces fall and ankle-injury risk — simple exercises like lunges, squats, and heel raises twice a week help.
3
Watch your shoulder load
The shoulder is the most commonly injured area in pickleball. Avoid repeated hard overhead smashes in a single session if you feel any strain building.
4
Wear proper court shoes
Running shoes lack the lateral support needed for pickleball’s side-to-side movement, raising the risk of ankle rolls and ligament sprains.
5
Respect your experience level
Players with under five years of experience report meaningfully higher injury rates — ease into intensity rather than matching more experienced players immediately.
For gear that helps, see our guide on Compression Sleeves and Braces for Injury Prevention.