Kitchen & Court

Can You Wear Running Shoes for Pickleball?

Why running shoes are the wrong tool for pickleball, what a court shoe does differently, and how the right pair helps prevent the falls that hurt older players most.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we research

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It’s the most common question new players ask, and it usually comes with a hopeful note: my running shoes are so comfortable — can’t I just wear those? The honest answer is that you can, but it’s a genuinely bad idea — and it’s the single most common (and most expensive) mistake in the sport. Here’s why, and what to wear instead.

Why running shoes fail on a pickleball court

Running shoes are brilliantly designed — for running. To move you forward efficiently they have a tall, soft, cushioned heel and a relatively narrow base. That’s perfect in a straight line. But pickleball isn’t a straight line: it’s quick sideways steps, sudden stops, and pivots at the kitchen. The moment you push off sideways in a running shoe, that tall, narrow, squishy platform tips — and your ankle rolls with it. The very features that make a running shoe comfortable for a jog make it unstable and unsafe for the court.

This isn’t a minor point for older players. Injury data shows that for players over 60, the biggest risk by far is falls— and a shoe that lets your foot roll or slide is a fall waiting to happen. The right shoe is one of the cheapest, most effective pieces of injury insurance you can buy.

What a court shoe does differently

A court shoe — whether it’s badged “pickleball” or “tennis” — is built for the sideways game. It has:

  • A low, wide, stable platform that keeps your foot planted when you cut sideways, instead of tipping.
  • A supportive upper that holds the foot and resists the sideways forces that roll ankles.
  • A grippy court outsole that plants and pivots cleanly rather than sliding on a hard surface.
  • A reinforced toe (on pickleball-specific models especially) to survive the toe-drag the sport inflicts on lunges and drop shots.

None of that means giving up comfort. Plenty of court shoes are beautifully cushioned — see our most-cushioned picks— they just put that cushioning on a base that’s safe to move sideways on.

Court shoe or tennis shoe?

Either. Tennis shoes are built for the exact same lateral movement, are frequently more cushioned than pickleball-specific models, and come in a far wider range of sizes and widths — a real advantage if you have wider or swollen feet. Several of our top picks are tennis shoes for precisely that reason. A pickleball-specific shoe’s main edge is a toe built for the sport’s toe-drag; beyond that, the two are interchangeable for most players. What you should not substitute is a running shoe, a walking shoe, or a casual sneaker.

The takeaway

Keep loving your running shoes — for walking and running. For the pickleball court, get a proper court or tennis shoe with a stable base and good cushioning. Think of it the way you’d think of a knee brace: cheap insurance against the injury that would actually keep you off the court. Our shoes-for-seniors roundup is the place to start, and if budget is the worry, our budget list shows how little a safe pair can cost.

Frequently asked questions

Can you wear running shoes for pickleball?

You can, but you shouldn't. Running shoes are built for forward motion with tall, soft heels and narrow bases, which makes them unstable during pickleball's side-to-side steps and pivots — exactly the situation where players roll ankles and hurt knees. A court or tennis shoe with a low, wide, supportive base is far safer, and for players over 60, whose leading injury is falls, it genuinely matters.

Are tennis shoes okay for pickleball?

Yes — tennis shoes are an excellent choice. They're built for the same lateral movement pickleball demands, they're often more cushioned than pickleball-specific shoes, and they come in a wider range of sizes and widths. The only thing to check is that the outsole suits your court surface; most hard-court tennis outsoles are fine.

Do I need pickleball-specific shoes?

Not necessarily. A pickleball-specific shoe is purpose-built and often has a reinforced toe for the sport's toe-drag, but a good tennis shoe does the same core job. What you actually need is a court shoe with lateral support — whether it's badged 'pickleball' or 'tennis' matters far less than that it isn't a running shoe.

What's the difference between court shoes and running shoes?

Running shoes have a tall, cushioned heel and a narrow base tuned to roll you forward efficiently — great in a straight line, unstable sideways. Court shoes have a lower, wider, more stable platform and a supportive upper built to resist the sideways forces of cutting and pivoting, plus a grippy outsole that plants instead of sliding. On a pickleball court, that difference is the difference between planting and rolling an ankle.

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