Shoes

The most common serious injuries in pickleball (broken and sprained wrists) occur as a result of falling. In many cases, these falls are caused in part by improper footwear. While running shoes are designed for forward movement only, court shoes are designed for movement in all directions. Pickleball players generally are advised to consider a good pair of court shoes as their first major investment in the sport.
 
In order to make an informed decision about their shoes, pickleball players must know which floor surface they will be playing on. Players who are playing on hardwood floors will want to choose higher quality shoes with organic rubber outsoles while those who plan to play on rubberized gym floors may choose shoes with higher amounts of synthetic rubber in the outsoles.
 
Shoes with high amounts of organic rubber on their outsoles are also easier on the knees than shoes with synthetic or carbon rubber outsoles. For this reason, players with persistent foot and/or knee pain are often advised to use indoor court shoes even when playing on outdoor surfaces.