the court ; indecision about how to get to a ball ; reactive play as opposed to anticipation ; and faulty equipment and preparation to play the sport . Even so , intermediate and advanced players are not immune to falls either , and minimizing risk factors would benefit everyone .
Footwear is one of the leading causes of falls in pickleball . I have seen countless players all around the country ( even some who have participated in three-day camps with me ) show up on the courts wearing regular sneakers . Usually it ’ s because they don ’ t know any better , but I have also talked to people who report they prefer to wear a traditional sneaker because of the comfort level ( or possibly because of a medical condition in their feet ). However , in order to reduce your falls risk , wearing proper shoes made for hard court surfaces is extremely important .
Pickleball ( and tennis ) court surfaces are usually made up of an acrylic paint coating that contains sand to prevent skidding and slipping . This makes for a rough surface ( almost like sandpaper ). The rubber on regular sneakers ( or running shoes ) is much too soft to be able to interact with the court surface , which leads to much higher friction during deceleration or changes of direction . This in turn can lead to the court “ carving into ” the shoe and therefore placing the player at great risk of toppling over their feet and falling . In addition , sneakers ( running shoes ) are made with a forward motion in mind ( running ), not lateral movement . Therefore , they greatly lack the lateral stability needed to effectively play pickleball , creating yet another hazard . Final note on footwear : A common complaint I ’ ve heard is that people don ’ t like the way tennis shoes feel . However , there are many different brands and models of tennis shoes , so it ’ s important not to give up . Go to a store and try out at least five pairs until you find the one that fits nicely . Every brand ( Wilson , Nike , Adidas , Babolat , K-Swiss , Head , etc .) has different models , widths , and toe boxes , and just because you ’ ve tried a couple of models that weren ’ t good for you doesn ’ t mean you won ’ t find a great tennis shoe for your feet .
Another risk factor for falling is the lob retrieval . Players often tend to backpedal to retrieve a lob , which is the most dangerous thing you can do on a pickleball court . Generally speaking , backpedaling is fine as long as you are not looking up . Forward and backward motions are normal movements found in pickleball , however once the ball has been lobbed , that ’ s when backpedaling is extremely dangerous . As soon as the lob is hit and the ball is up in the air , players look up to see and track the ball . Therefore , as they start to backpedal while looking upward , their weight shifts behind their center of mass , which leads to falling backward . Usually , they are still looking up at the ball , and by the time they realize they are falling , it ’ s very difficult to catch their fall and lessen the blow . This can lead to wrist and hand fractures , as well as serious head injuries . Instead , if you are lobbed , turn and run back to where you think the ball is headed in order to retrieve the ball and extend the point .
Finally , to decrease the risk of falling , players can work on their balance , agility , and proprioception off the court in order to improve their overall movement patterns and control . Research has shown that no matter what level of fitness you are , if you start working on your balance , it will improve . However , as we get older , we start taking less risk as it relates to our daily movement , which in turn leads to decreased balance and body awareness . Training with a doctor of physical therapy to target specific balance deficits can help identify potential weaknesses and prevent faulty movement patterns on the pickleball court in order to reduce your falls risk . If you ’ d like to learn more , contact The Pickleball Doctor at noe @ moveitpt . com . The Pickleball Doctor is the owner of Move It Physical Therapy in Chapel Hill , North Carolina . Free 10-minute consults are available to see if it ’ s a good fit , and virtual sessions are available if you are not in the area . •
Noe Sariban is a doctor of physical therapy and owner of Move It Physical Therapy in Chapel Hill , NC . He is a certified pickleball teaching professional through the IPTPA , and the tournament physical therapist for the world ’ s # 1 men ’ s player , Ben Johns . Visit thepickleballdoctor . com for more information on injury prevention and rehabilitation tips , and like his Facebook page , facebook . com / pickleballdoctor , for updates and new information .
JULY / AUGUST 2023 | MAGAZINE 85