PB Court Report, Issue 01

I started this newsletter for one reason. The people I play with kept getting hurt. Calf strains, shoulder pain, the occasional fall. Not because pickleball is dangerous, but because most of us treat it differently from every other workout. We would never lift weights or go for a run cold, yet we walk straight from the parking lot onto the court and expect our bodies to handle quick starts, sudden stops, and explosive movement.

Every Tuesday, this email will give you a few minutes of practical, evidence-informed help to move better, reduce your injury risk, and enjoy the game for years to come. No hype. No medical jargon. Just useful information.

Today's issue is a 4 min 7 sec read:

But first, a promise.

Pickleball asks a lot of cold muscles. The first point of the day often includes a sprint to the kitchen line, a sudden stop, a reach, and a lunge. That is exactly the kind of load a warm body handles well and a cold body does not.

The numbers back this up. A 10-year national study of U.S. emergency department visits found that fractures and sprains each made up about 27% of pickleball injuries, that 91% of the injured players were 50 or older, and that injuries rose 88% after 2020. A separate analysis found that most of those injuries started with a fall.

Can a warm-up change that? The best evidence comes from other sports, where structured warm-up programs have cut injury rates by roughly a third in large reviews. Pickleball has not been studied as closely yet, but the mechanism is the same: warm muscles and tendons absorb sudden load better, and a body that has already moved sideways a few times is steadier when the game demands it.

So here is the fix. It takes five minutes, needs no equipment, and starts before you reach the court.

Save this email, or better, do it before your next game and notice how the first few points feel.

If you play in running shoes, this is worth two minutes. Running shoes are built to move you forward and cushion the heel. Pickleball moves you sideways: shuffles, lunges, and quick changes of direction.

Court shoes (tennis, pickleball, or indoor court shoes) have a flatter, wider base and firmer sides, which helps your foot stay under you during those lateral moves. Given how many pickleball injuries begin with a fall, stable footing matters more than cushioning.

Quick check: flip your shoe over. A court shoe has a flat, wide outsole and a reinforced toe. A running shoe has a thick, curved heel.

Watch a good player at the moment their opponent strikes the ball and you will see a tiny hop. That is the split step.

Land softly on the balls of your feet, knees bent, weight centered, just as the ball is hit. From there you can push off in any direction, which is the difference between reaching a ball and lunging late for it. It also keeps you balanced, so you are less likely to stumble.

Try it this week: during warm-up, have a partner feed easy balls and focus on one thing only, timing the hop to their contact. The footwork follows.

In the coming weeks we will launch Center Court Conversations, an interview series with healthcare professionals, coaches, referees, and experienced players on what actually keeps people on the court.

First, I would like to hear from you. Reply to this email and tell me: what injury or nagging pain has kept you off the court, and what have you tried? Your answers will shape the next issues.