Updated September 20, 2026 · Pickleball injury research and sports-medicine guidance continue to evolve, so we periodically recheck this guide.
Quick Answer: What Are the Most Common Pickleball Injuries?
Sprains, strains, fractures, falls and overuse injuries are among the most commonly reported pickleball problems. Knees, ankles, feet and Achilles tendons take plenty of punishment from quick starts, lunges and changes of direction, while repeated swinging and gripping can irritate elbows and shoulders.
A 2026 systematic review found falls to be a leading injury mechanism and identified adults age 50 and older as a consistently higher-risk group across the research it examined.
The smartest prevention strategy is not complicated: warm up, use court-appropriate shoes, build playing time gradually, work on balance and movement control, inspect the playing surface, use sound technique, hydrate, recover between sessions and stop when pain changes from ordinary exertion into something sharp, unstable or persistent.
Pickleball has a way of making people feel athletic very quickly.
The court is smaller than a tennis court. The paddle is light. The rallies are social. And then somebody drops a ball two feet outside your reach and suddenly you’re lunging sideways like you’re twenty-seven.
Your Achilles tendon may have a different recollection of your age.
That’s part of what makes pickleball injuries an increasingly important topic. The game is accessible enough for people to jump in quickly—but quick pivots, lunges, backpedaling, repetitive swings and falls still put real stress on muscles, tendons and joints.
A national analysis of U.S. emergency-department data estimated 24,461 pickleball-related injuries in 2023. Most injuries in that study affected adults ages 60 to 79.
Pickleball Injuries at a Glance
- Lower body: ankle sprains, knee strains, foot injuries, muscle strains and Achilles tendon injuries.
- Upper body: pickleball elbow, shoulder irritation and wrist or hand injuries.
- Falls: an important injury mechanism, especially among older players.
- Overuse: repeated swinging and frequent play can irritate tendons even without one dramatic injury.
- Eyes: balls, paddles and falls can cause eye injuries, some of them serious.
- Higher-risk group: research repeatedly identifies adults 50 and older as an important injury population.
- Best defense: conditioning, balance work, court shoes, warmups, technique, recovery time and a safe playing surface.
Why Are Pickleball Injuries So Common?
Pickleball combines something that sounds easy—hitting a plastic ball over a net—with movement patterns that are not always easy on the body.
Players accelerate, stop, pivot, lunge forward, change direction laterally and sometimes backpedal while watching the ball instead of the ground.
That creates two broad injury categories:
- Acute injuries: one specific event such as rolling an ankle, falling, straining a calf or landing awkwardly.
- Overuse injuries: irritation that builds over time from repeated swings, gripping, lunging or simply playing more often than the body has adapted to.
A 2026 systematic review of adult pickleball injuries found sprains, strains and fractures among the most commonly reported lower-extremity injuries. Achilles tendon rupture also appeared prominently. Researchers identified falls as the leading mechanism, followed by movements such as running, forward lunging and foot or ankle inversion.
What Parts of the Body Get Hurt Most in Pickleball?
| Area | What Players Often Notice | Why Pickleball Can Stress It |
|---|---|---|
| Elbow | Outer-elbow soreness, grip discomfort, tenderness or pain during swinging. | Repetitive paddle swings, gripping and technique issues can overload forearm tendons. |
| Knee | Soreness, stiffness, swelling or discomfort when lunging and changing direction. | Quick stops, lateral movement, low shots and repeated bending place stress on the joint and surrounding tissues. |
| Ankle & Foot | Sprains, foot soreness or instability after a twist or awkward plant. | Side-to-side movement, sudden direction changes and poor traction can contribute. |
| Achilles & Calf | Tightness, calf strain or sudden pain in the back of the ankle or lower leg. | Explosive forward movement and lunging place substantial demand on the calf-Achilles complex. |
| Shoulder | Soreness with serves, overhead shots or repeated swinging. | Repeated arm movement can irritate tissues when technique, mobility or conditioning are lacking. |
| Lower Back | Muscular tightness or soreness after repeated bending, reaching and rotation. | Low shots and awkward reaching can challenge trunk strength and mobility. |
| Eye & Face | Bruising, abrasions or more serious eye trauma after a direct strike or fall. | Players are relatively close together and the ball or paddle can reach the face quickly. |
What Is Pickleball Elbow?
Pickleball elbow is the sport’s version of a familiar overuse problem.
Players often use the term to describe pain around the outside of the elbow associated with repetitive gripping and swinging—similar to what is commonly called tennis elbow.
That does not mean every sore elbow has the same cause. Pain can arise from different muscles, tendons, joints or nerves, which is why persistent elbow pain should not be self-diagnosed indefinitely.
Things that may contribute include:
- Suddenly playing several days a week after being relatively inactive
- Gripping the paddle harder than necessary
- Poor stroke mechanics
- Using equipment that doesn’t suit your hand or playing style
- Weakness or fatigue in the forearm and shoulder
- Ignoring early soreness and continuing to load the same tissue
If elbow discomfort keeps returning, becomes worse, causes weakness or interferes with ordinary activity, sports-medicine or physical-therapy guidance is more useful than simply trying to play through it.
Why Do Knees Hurt After Pickleball?
Knees absorb a lot of the sport’s stop-and-go workload.
Reaching a dink can require a deep forward step. Defending the kitchen can mean repeated lateral movement. Chasing a lob can suddenly turn a leisurely rally into a sprint.
Temporary muscular soreness after unfamiliar activity can happen. But swelling, instability, catching, locking, significant pain or difficulty bearing weight should not be dismissed as “just pickleball soreness.”
Orthopedic guidance also emphasizes not overdoing playing volume, particularly when knees are already symptomatic, and recommends appropriate footwear, warmups and sound movement technique.
What About Achilles Tendon and Calf Injuries?
The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel and plays a major role every time you push off, accelerate or lunge.
That makes it especially relevant in pickleball.
The 2026 systematic review identified Achilles tendon rupture as a notable injury in the published pickleball literature. That does not mean every tight calf is headed for a rupture. It does mean sudden explosive movement should be taken seriously—particularly when someone is returning to activity after a long period of less demanding exercise.
Can Pickleball Cause Eye Injuries?
Yes—and this is an injury category players may underestimate.
A 2025 study using U.S. emergency-department data estimated 3,112 pickleball-related eye injuries between 2005 and 2024, including an estimated 1,262 eye injuries in 2024 alone.
Reported mechanisms included direct hits from pickleballs, paddle strikes and falls. Serious injuries in the study included orbital fractures, retinal detachment, globe trauma and bleeding inside the eye.
The researchers noted that eye protection is not routinely required in casual or professional play and recommended standardized protection guidelines as participation grows.
- Consider sport-appropriate protective eyewear, particularly for frequent play.
- Regular prescription glasses are not the same thing as sports eye protection.
- Avoid stepping into another player’s swing path when your partner is taking a ball.
- Seek prompt medical attention for vision loss, severe eye pain, significant swelling, bleeding, flashes, floaters or other major visual changes after an impact.
Are Pickleball Injuries More Common in Older Adults?
Pickleball injuries in seniors and older adults are an important part of the current injury picture.
A 2026 systematic review found age 50 or older was a consistent risk factor across nearly all of the lower-extremity studies it examined.
A separate national emergency-department analysis found that most estimated pickleball injuries occurred among adults ages 60 to 79. In that age group, falls were more common and the odds of fractures were higher than in younger comparison groups.
That does not mean older adults should avoid pickleball. Staying active offers major benefits.
It means that someone returning to sport at 60, 65 or 70 should not assume that the game’s friendly pace eliminates the need for conditioning, balance work, recovery and appropriate footwear.
The 50+ Takeaway
The goal isn’t to play scared. It’s to respect the difference between being capable of playing pickleball and having muscles, tendons, joints and balance systems fully conditioned for repeated sprinting, lunging, stopping and falling.
A gradual buildup of playing time, strength, balance and movement confidence is generally more sensible than going from zero pickleball to five days a week because your neighborhood suddenly discovered open play.
How Can You Prevent Pickleball Injuries?
No prevention plan eliminates every injury, but current orthopedic research and sports-medicine guidance consistently point toward a few basics.
1. Warm Up Before the First Competitive Point
Walking from the parking lot to Court 4 is not a warmup.
A short dynamic warmup might include easy walking or jogging, controlled lunges, side steps, trunk rotation, shoulder circles and gentle hitting before competitive rallies.
2. Wear Court Shoes
Running shoes are designed primarily for forward movement. Pickleball demands lateral cuts, pivots, sudden stops and quick changes of direction.
Sport-specific court footwear generally provides traction and support better suited to those demands.
3. Work on Balance and Proprioception
Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense where it is in space and control movement without constantly looking at your feet.
That’s especially relevant when you’re moving backward for a lob, planting quickly or changing direction while watching the ball.
The 2026 systematic review specifically recommends incorporating proprioceptive training into pickleball injury-prevention programs.
Depending on your fitness level, that might involve controlled single-leg balance work, strength exercises, lateral movement drills and other training recommended by an appropriate fitness or healthcare professional.
4. Check the Court Before You Play
A crack, wet patch, loose debris, stray ball or uneven transition around the court can turn an otherwise routine movement into a fall.
Recent injury-prevention research specifically recommends routine court-surface inspection.
Before playing, take a quick look for moisture, debris, damaged surfaces and anything else that could interfere with traction.
5. Build Playing Time Gradually
If you haven’t played a court sport in twenty years, your cardiovascular system may say “this is fun” long before your tendons say “we are ready for four hours of this.”
Increase frequency and intensity progressively rather than stacking marathon sessions immediately.
6. Learn Technique
Better footwork and swing mechanics don’t just improve your game. They can reduce the amount of unnecessary force you ask your elbow, shoulder and lower body to absorb.
7. Hydrate and Recover
Fatigue can degrade movement quality and reaction time. Hydration, sleep and time between demanding sessions are not glamorous, but neither is limping to brunch.
8. Stop When Something Actually Hurts
There is a difference between ordinary exertion and a body part sending increasingly loud warning signals.
Playing harder through worsening pain is not a recovery strategy.
Normal Soreness or Pickleball Injury?
Not every ache after a game means you’re injured.
Muscles can feel tired or sore after unfamiliar activity. That often improves over the next few days as the body recovers.
But certain signs deserve more attention.
| More Like Routine Post-Activity Soreness | More Reason to Seek Medical Advice |
|---|---|
| General muscle tenderness or stiffness | Sudden or severe pain |
| Symptoms gradually improving with recovery | Symptoms getting worse instead of better |
| No major swelling or instability | Significant swelling, deformity or instability |
| You can move and bear weight normally | Difficulty bearing weight or using the limb |
| No single traumatic event | A fall, collision, twist, pop or snap preceded the pain |
| Normal strength and sensation | Numbness, weakness or loss of normal function |
How Should You Recover After Pickleball?
For an ordinary hard-played session—not an actual injury—the smartest recovery routine is usually boring in the best possible way.
- Rehydrate
- Eat adequately
- Give heavily worked tissues time to recover
- Use gentle movement rather than immediately piling on another maximal session
- Prioritize sleep
- Address repeated mobility, balance or strength limitations rather than continually playing through them
If you’re injured, recovery depends on the actual diagnosis. A sprained ankle, tendon problem, muscle strain, concussion and fracture do not share one universal treatment plan.
That’s why persistent or significant symptoms should move the conversation from “recovery hacks” to proper medical assessment.
How Do You Know When It’s Safe to Play Pickleball Again?
This is one question with no useful one-size-fits-all answer.
How quickly you can return depends on what actually happened. Routine muscle soreness after an unusually hard session is very different from an ankle sprain, tendon injury, fracture or concussion.
For minor soreness, you generally want ordinary daily movement to feel comfortable and symptoms to be improving—not getting worse—before returning to hard play.
Before jumping immediately back into competition, it is also reasonable to see how the affected area tolerates the movements pickleball actually requires: walking, lateral movement, controlled lunging, stopping and changing direction.
And don’t let painkillers—or a cannabinoid product—become the test of whether you’re ready. Masking discomfort is not the same as restoring normal strength, stability or function.
Where Might CBD or CBG Fit Into Pickleball Recovery?
Cbdeeme sells cannabinoid wellness products, so this is where we should be especially clear about the limits.
CBD or CBG does not repair a torn tendon, stabilize a sprained ankle, set a fracture or diagnose why your knee hurts.
Some adults use CBD topicals, massage products or non-intoxicating gummies as optional parts of a broader post-activity wellness routine for everyday body comfort. Research into CBD and exercise recovery is still developing, and retail hemp products should not be presented as proven treatments for sports injuries.
Kore Original CBD Pain Freeze — 450mg Spearmint Ice Roll-On
If you’re looking for something to use after the game rather than something else to swallow, this is one of our favorite recovery-minded topicals.
Kore Pain Freeze is a THC-free CBD isolate roll-on combining 450mg CBD with cooling menthol, spearmint and botanical ingredients. The format makes it particularly convenient for targeted application to areas such as elbows, shoulders, knees, calves and the lower back after activity.
We also like that the roll-on keeps application clean and simple—no scooping cream out of a jar and no need to rub it into your hands. That makes it especially easy to keep in a pickleball or gym bag.
- 450mg CBD isolate
- THC-free
- 3 fl oz roll-on
- Spearmint Ice formula
- Cooling menthol + essential oils
- Non-greasy, targeted application
- Third-party lab tested
$28.99
Keep the distinction clear: a cooling topical can be part of a post-activity comfort routine, but it is not a treatment for a sprain, tear, fracture or other pickleball injury—and it should not be used to mask pain that needs medical attention.
If you’re interested in ingestible cannabinoid options, we’ve separated that shopping question into its own buyer guide rather than turning this injury guide into a product roundup.
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One important distinction: THC can impair coordination, reaction time and judgment. An intoxicating THC product is not something to use as a pre-game pickleball performance aid.
When Should You See a Doctor for a Pickleball Injury?
Get medical attention when the situation goes beyond routine post-exercise soreness.
- Severe or rapidly increasing pain
- Inability to bear weight normally
- Obvious deformity
- Major swelling or bruising after a traumatic event
- A pop or snap followed by loss of strength or function
- Joint instability, locking or repeated giving way
- Numbness, tingling or weakness
- A head injury, loss of consciousness or concerning neurological symptoms
- Eye trauma accompanied by significant pain or visual changes
- Pain that does not begin improving after several days of appropriate recovery
- Symptoms that keep returning every time you play
Getting evaluated does not necessarily mean surgery, imaging or weeks away from the court. Sometimes the most useful intervention is identifying the movement, strength or technique problem that keeps irritating the same tissue.
Quick Answers About Pickleball Injuries
What are the most common pickleball injuries?
Published research frequently reports sprains, strains, fractures and lower-extremity injuries. Pickleball elbow, shoulder irritation, Achilles injuries, falls and eye injuries are also important concerns.
Why are pickleball injuries so common?
Pickleball combines sudden stops, lunges, lateral movement, pivoting, reaching and repetitive swinging. Many adults also take up the sport after years away from court sports, so playing volume can increase faster than conditioning.
What is pickleball elbow?
The term usually describes overuse-related elbow pain associated with repetitive gripping and swinging, often similar to tennis elbow. Persistent elbow pain should be evaluated because not every elbow problem has the same cause.
How do you prevent pickleball elbow?
Good technique, reasonable grip pressure, appropriate equipment, forearm and shoulder conditioning, gradual increases in playing time and adequate recovery may help reduce overuse stress.
Why does my knee hurt after pickleball?
Knees handle repeated lunges, stops, lateral movement and bending. Mild muscular soreness can occur after activity, but swelling, instability, locking or persistent pain deserves professional assessment.
Are pickleball injuries common in seniors?
Older adults represent an important injury group in current studies. A 2026 systematic review identified age 50 and older as a consistent risk factor across most included lower-extremity research, and national emergency-department data show substantial injury burden among adults ages 60 to 79.
Can pickleball cause eye injuries?
Yes. Eye injuries can result from direct ball strikes, paddle impacts and falls. Recent U.S. research documented a substantial increase in pickleball-related eye injuries and included serious diagnoses such as orbital fractures and retinal injuries.
Should pickleball players wear eye protection?
Recent ophthalmology research has called for stronger eye-protection guidance as pickleball-related ocular injuries increase. Sport-appropriate protective eyewear is worth considering, particularly for frequent players.
What shoes are best for preventing pickleball injuries?
Sports-medicine guidance generally favors court shoes designed for tennis or pickleball because they are built for lateral movement, traction and court stability rather than primarily straight-ahead running.
Should I stretch before pickleball?
A brief dynamic warmup before hard play is generally recommended. Easy movement, lunges, side steps, trunk rotation and light hitting can prepare the body better than going directly from sitting to full-speed rallies.
Does balance training help prevent pickleball injuries?
Balance and proprioceptive training are included in recent pickleball injury-prevention recommendations. They can help prepare players for the rapid stops, changes of direction and awkward reaches that occur during play.
How long should I rest after a pickleball injury?
There is no single timeline because recovery depends on what was injured and how severely. Persistent, significant or traumatic injuries should be evaluated rather than managed according to a generic number of days.
How do I know when it’s safe to play pickleball again?
For routine soreness, symptoms should be improving and ordinary movement should feel comfortable before hard play resumes. Significant injuries require diagnosis-specific return-to-play guidance from the clinician or physical therapist managing them.
Can CBD help with pickleball soreness?
Some adults use CBD products as part of a post-activity wellness routine, particularly topicals for localized comfort. Research on CBD and sports recovery is still developing, and CBD should not be treated as a proven treatment for a pickleball injury.
Are CBD topicals or gummies better after pickleball?
They are different formats. Topicals are applied to one area, while gummies are ingested and have systemic exposure. Neither format should replace diagnosis or treatment of an actual injury.
Should I use THC before playing pickleball?
THC can impair coordination, reaction time and judgment. Using an intoxicating product before a sport involving rapid movement, balance and court awareness creates avoidable safety concerns.
When is pickleball soreness not normal?
Severe pain, significant swelling, instability, weakness, numbness, difficulty bearing weight, a traumatic pop or snap, visual changes after an eye impact, or symptoms that worsen instead of improving are reasons to seek medical advice.
Become a Fountain of Knowledge
Want to understand the recovery side without the marketing fog? Keep going:
The Bottom Line on Pickleball Injuries
Pickleball may be friendly, social and accessible—but your muscles, tendons, joints, balance and reaction time still know they’re playing a sport.
The biggest advantages aren’t exotic recovery hacks. They’re arriving conditioned enough to play, warming up, working on balance, wearing the right shoes, checking the court, using good technique, allowing recovery time and paying attention when an ordinary ache starts behaving like an actual injury.
If you’re simply sore after a good session, a thoughtful recovery routine can help you get ready for the next game.
If you’re injured, figure out what happened first.
The goal isn’t merely to get back on the court quickly. It’s to stay healthy enough to keep playing.
READ THE CBD, CBG & THC RECOVERY BUYER GUIDE EXPLORE RELIEF & RECOVERY PRODUCTS
Research & Medical Sources
Okhovat A, Ferkel E, Richards SA. Lower Extremity Injuries in Adult Pickleball Players: A Systematic Review of Injury Types, Mechanisms, and Risk Factors. Cureus. 2026;18(5):e108841.
National Emergency Department Epidemiology Study. The Epidemiology of Pickleball Injuries Presenting to US Emergency Departments. National estimates through 2023.
Lacher CR, Koc I, Tsui JC. Pickleball-Related Ocular Injuries Among Patients Presenting to Emergency Departments. JAMA Ophthalmology. 2025;143(11):938–944.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons / OrthoInfo. Pickleball Injury Prevention Tips.
Cleveland Clinic. Guidance on common pickleball injuries, preparation, footwear, technique and recovery.
Important: This page is for general education and is not medical advice or a diagnosis. Pickleball injuries range from minor soreness to fractures, tendon ruptures, concussions, eye injuries and other conditions requiring professional care. Seek medical attention for significant, worsening or persistent symptoms. CBD, CBG and THC products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent sports injuries or disease. THC is intoxicating and can impair coordination and reaction time. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before using cannabinoid products if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition or are managing an injury.