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You might be tempted to wear your favorite Hokas or running shoes to play pickleball (especially if you’re new to the game) but if you’re planning to play often, you’ll need a dedicated pickleball shoe.
“Proper footwear is extremely important, and there isn’t one shoe for all sports,” says Jennifer Gallwas, PT, MPT, a professional pickleball player and physical therapist at Athletico Physical Therapy. “As a physical therapist, I also see many foot and ankle injuries, and [it’s because] many athletes are wearing the wrong shoes for the sport.”
What type of shoe should you wear? First and foremost, you should look for a sneaker deigned for court sports, says Landon Uetz, DPT, a physical therapist and pickleball instructor on TeachMe.To. There are some pickleball-specific sneakers, but many court-specific sneakers suffice for any related sports, including tennis, pickleball, padel, badminton, and even volleyball. These sports ask you to move in all directions, stop quickly, and pivot and chase the ball. As a result, you need a shoe that keeps you grounded and provides support on all sides.
In a pinch (or for your first few times trying the game), you might be able to get away with wearing a cross-training workout sneaker, but running shoes should be your last resort. (Think about how easily you can roll your ankle while wearing a cushy running shoe with a high platform—that’s exactly what you don’t want.) “In pickleball, we spend a lot of time at the kitchen line leaning forward, which puts a lot of weight on our toes,” Gallwas explains. “This means that we need extra reinforcement at the toes and lateral support to prevent ankle sprains.” Traditional running shoes are perhaps the worst for this purpose, since they’re designed for forward motion only, and have limited support under the toes.
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