Pickleball Is Fun - and Requires Just the Right Footwear

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Some questions may never have any definitive, satisfying answers. For example, why do so many potholders now have pockets in them? Do humans have a sudden need for a place to store the spices when they’re pulling something out of the oven? The countertop has served us perfectly well in the past. The pockets seem superfluous.

Another question – why have we heard so much about pickleball recently? In just the last few weeks, we learned that some famous sports figures bought a new professional pickleball team, joining the 12 Major League teams that already exist. Who even knew there was a professional league for a game whose name sounds.... well, like a soggy cucumber?

Our board-certified podiatrists went digging for answers. It didn’t take long to find out that pickleball isn’t superfluous and it’s not going away any time soon. It’s all the rage in Monmouth County, New Jersey, for the following reasons:

  • it’s played on a small court

  • it’s easy to understand and learn, so it’s great for all ages

  • as both a singles and a doubles game, it’s very social

  • it’s a great form of exercise

Pickleball has elements of both tennis and badminton. The perforated plastic ball you hit back and forth over a net sounds like you’re playing ping pong. You could say that pickleball’s a lot like tennis but shrunk down.

Seems like the foot and ankle precautions we take in tennis could also apply to pickleball.

Protect your feet

The movements in pickleball are small and quick. There are a lot of fast starts and stops as players reach for the ball. Those kinds of quick stops and starts are precisely why you shouldn’t put on any old shoes when you play pickleball. Court shoes are a must.

Court shoes, also called tennis shoes, are designed to support the lateral movements that characterize pickleball. If you’re going to join this enthusiastic crowd, there’s no question in our minds: get the proper athletic shoes. They’ll help you avoid injuries like sprained ankles, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis.

Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, Dr. Dan Phan, and Dr. Joseph Saka have decades of experience treating sports injuries at our Howell and Jackson podiatry offices. Call (732) 905-1110 or contact us online for more information or to schedule a consultation.