Kitchen & Court

Pickleball and Balance: Preventing Falls Over 60

Falls are the single biggest injury risk in senior pickleball. Here's what the data says, and the shoes, warm-up and balance work that lower your odds.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we research

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Pickleball has a reputation as a gentle sport, and for the most part it is — but the one risk that deserves real respect, especially past 60, isn’t the paddle or the ball. It’s the ground. Most serious injuries in older players come from losing your balance and falling, not from overuse or contact. The good news is that falls are the most preventable injury there is, and a few simple habits move the odds a long way in your favor.

What the injury data actually shows

The picture from peer-reviewed research is consistent. Adults 60 and older make up the large majority of pickleball emergency-department visits, and they are significantly more likely to fracture when they get hurt. Crucially, a big share of those geriatric injuries come from ground-level falls— simple trips, stumbles and losses of footing — rather than anything exotic. Separately, when older players are injured, the wrist is the single most-injured body part, which is exactly what you’d expect from the instinct to throw a hand out to break a fall.

Read that the right way and it’s reassuring, not scary: the danger isn’t that pickleball is punishing your joints, it’s that a moment of poor footing can put you on the floor. Address the footing and the balance, and you’ve addressed most of the real risk.

Step one: the right shoes (this is the big one)

Nothing on this page matters more than what’s on your feet. The most common way an older player falls is losing their footing during a quick side-to-side move — and the most common reason is wearing the wrong shoe. A running shoe is built for forward motion and gives almost no lateral support, so it feels tippy the moment you push off sideways. A court or tennis shoesits lower, grips the court and holds your ankle tracking straight. If you change one thing after reading this, make it your shoes — start with our senior shoe picks or, if your knees also complain, the most cushioned options.

Step two: warm up before you move fast

Cold muscles and half-asleep balance reflexes are a bad combination for the first few minutes on court, which is when a surprising number of falls happen. A short warm-up raises your heart rate and, more importantly, switches on the stabilizing muscles around the ankles, knees and hips that keep you upright when you reach or change direction. Five minutes of easy movement before you chase a ball is cheap insurance.

Step three: train your balance off the court

Balance is trainable at any age, and the CDC specifically recommends balance activities for adults 65 and older — alongside 150 minutes a week of moderate activity and two days of muscle-strengthening work. You don’t need a gym. A few minutes most days of simple, safe drills makes a measurable difference:

  • Single-leg stands. Hold a counter, stand on one foot, and build up the time. Progress to lighter fingertip support as you steady.
  • Heel-to-toe walking. Walk a straight line placing each heel directly in front of the opposite toe, arms out for balance.
  • Sit-to-stands.Rise from a sturdy chair without using your hands, slowly, several times — this builds the leg strength that catches you when you stumble.
  • Side steps. Gentle lateral steps rehearse the exact movement pattern pickleball demands most.

Do these where you can grab something if you need to, and treat them as strength-and-balance work, not a race.

On-court habits that keep you upright

A few small changes in how you play matter as much as any drill. Don’t backpedal for a lob — turn and shuffle, or let it go, because backpedaling is a classic way older players fall backward and land on a wrist. Stay in a slightly athletic, knees-soft stance rather than standing tall and flat-footed. Call the ball early with partners so you’re not both lunging into the same space. And know when to let a ball go: no point is worth a fracture.

The bottom line

Balance and falls are the risk worth taking seriously in senior pickleball — and they’re also the risk you have the most control over. Proper court shoes, a five-minute warm-up, a few minutes of balance work most days, and a bit of on-court caution together turn the sport’s biggest danger into a manageable one. Play smart and the odds are firmly on your side.

General information, not medical advice. Kitchen & Court is written by a pickleball enthusiast, not a doctor or physical therapist. If you have arthritis, a heart condition, a recent injury or any concern about starting a new sport, talk to your doctor first. Warm up, start gently, and stop if something hurts.

Frequently asked questions

Are falls really the main injury risk in senior pickleball?

Yes. Peer-reviewed injury data shows that for older players, most serious injuries trace back to ground-level falls rather than the sport being inherently dangerous — one study found ground-level falls accounted for the majority of geriatric pickleball injuries, and fractures (often to the wrist) are far more common in this age group. The encouraging flip side is that falls are largely preventable with the right shoes, a warm-up and a little balance work.

Does playing pickleball improve your balance?

It can help. The quick changes of direction, reaching and weight shifts in pickleball challenge the same systems that keep you steady day to day, and staying active is one of the best things you can do for balance as you age. But the sport also exposes poor balance, which is why pairing play with deliberate balance training — and proper court shoes — matters for older players.

What shoes help prevent falls on the pickleball court?

A court or tennis shoe, never a running shoe. Running shoes are built for forward motion and offer little lateral support, so they feel unstable during pickleball's side-to-side movement — exactly when older players roll an ankle or lose their footing. A low, stable court shoe keeps your foot planted and your ankle tracking straight. Our senior and bad-knees shoe roundups cover the most stable, cushioned options.

What balance exercises should older pickleball players do?

The CDC recommends balance activities for adults 65 and older as a specific priority. Simple, safe options include standing on one foot near a counter, heel-to-toe walking, slow sit-to-stands from a chair, and gentle side steps. Do them where you can grab support if needed, a few minutes most days. Always check with your doctor first if you've had a fall or have a balance condition.

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