The same question is asked every day by pickleball players in online groups: “Which shoes should I wear while playing?” Often, those who answer simply suggest the shoes that they wear.
And they sometimes give bad advice.
You will see some pickleball players say they their wear their Hokas or other walking or running shoes for pickleball. Wrong! Hokas may be the most comfortable shoes for other activities (Hoka and Brooks are my go-to’s for walking), but podiatrists say they are not suitable for pickleball. They are walking or running shoes, designed for forward motion, and lack the lateral support needed for the quick, side-to-side movements in pickleball. Their high stack height increases the risk of ankle rolls and instability, while their cushioning can hurt stability and connection to the ground. Also, the outsole is not built for the multi-directional traction needed on a pickleball court.
Dr. Bradley Makimaa is a board-certified podiatrist and president of Southernmost Foot and Ankle Specialists in Key West, Florida. Since pickleball’s explosion in popularity five years ago, Dr. Makimaa has treated countless players with foot injuries. In a wide-ranging interview conducted by phone and email, he explained what to look for when shopping for the best pickleball shoe for you. Of course, one size does not fit all; everyone has their own specific foot shape and needs.
Q: What are the most common mistakes pickleball players make when choosing court shoes?
Dr. Makimaa: Lack of support. This is the absolutely number one focus to prevent injury. This is usually far behind look, price, weight and cushion. To be fair, you are researching a shoe with detailed information written by the company trying to sell you a shoe. They will tweak the wording to make any shoe seem great. It is obvious when you have a little knowledge but intentionally overwhelming for the lay person. Basic tip: For starters, if you have a difficult time twisting the shoe, it likely has enough stability.
Q: What types of foot injuries have you treated because the patient was wearing shoes not meant for pickleball?
A: 5th metatarsal fracture is easily number one. This is with a reaching forward step and rolling the foot lateral or an inversion injury. Ankle sprain and ankle fracture follow behind with a more direct rolling of the ankle lateral or in some cases tripping. Not far behind is achilles tendon rupture.
Q: What about wearing running or walking shoes for pickleball?
A: NO NO NO.
Running shoes are made to go straight ahead. They have no lateral support at all. Worse would be a large stack height heel shoe putting you even higher with more room to roll. This shoe also typically will break down quickly and allow a severe inversion and eversion of the foot even with normal walking. Never mind an intentional full force step to the side to lunge to make a shot. Walking shoes are actually not as bad but again designed to only go forward and in many cases too lightweight and suffer the same break down, and lateral support vastly deteriorates with age. Most patients that wear the wrong shoe also just grab whatever old worn-out shoe they may have as they do not take the sport seriously enough and that makes it even worse.
Sandals and "casual shoes" also are used by first timers and nearly always end in injury.
Q: What are the most important elements in a pickleball shoe that shoppers should know?
A: Support absolutely first. Support as a good solid heel counter. Another key feature to look for lateral support is a flare out of the sole of the shoe near your little toe. This is for when you slide or lunge to the side, it prevents you from rolling over. It also is a sign that whoever made the shoe knew what they were doing and had support and stability and injury prevention in mind. A nice wide base would also be helpful for stability. A classic tennis shoe can meet these needs or even a basketball shoe will as well. But all brands will have a version of each that is only focused on cushion and lightweight so beware.
Q: Several companies have jumped on the pickleball bandwagon and slapped the word “pickleball” on their shoes. What should shoppers beware of?
A: If you search for what to find in a pickleball shoe you will find lightweight and traction. This is because the game is so fast you could not possibly use a tennis shoe. Well, wrong. If you are a pro and 22-years-old, I will give you a different set of rules. However, for everyone else, safety first. And weight? Three ounces lighter? [Many] players started playing to drop some weight and may have several pounds to lose so discussing ounce differential of a shoe is quite ridiculous. Especially if it is to sacrifice support.
Many companies just took their average sneaker and put it in a cheap to mid range and called it range and called it “pickleball.” [Consumers] will buy anything, right? So, beware of a shoe company just having a random pickleball shoe. You really want a company already a superstar in tennis shoes who has now made a pickleball shoe. Pro player named specific shoes are always a good place to look as they usually must meet higher standards for the player to perform well in them. This can be true of pickleball, tennis or basketball.
Q: Do pickleball players need separate shoes for indoor and outdoor courts?
A: Most important would be an indoor surface that would restrict you from playing if you had soles that would mark up the court. You might see a sign saying, "required non-marking sole only". So check that first. The main difference indoor is a softer grippy sole like a gum rubber. These would not last so long on a hard outdoor court. Despite these needs, still do not give up the all-important lateral support.
You can check out more advice from Dr. Makimaa on his YouTube channel, @bradmakimaa.
On a personal note, I wear size 14 and need a wide toe box. Many shoe companies, including those who have jumped on the pickleball bandwagon, don’t offer wide shoes. I have tried about 10 brands over five years of playing and finally found high quality, comfortable shoes from Skechers and Tyrol. I wear the Skechers Viper Court Smash (Relaxed Fit) and three Tyrol models (I know, having four pairs of pickleball shoes is a bit much, but I’m a sneaker nerd as well as a paddle nerd). The Skechers are the most comfortable by a smidge and the Tyrols are the best overall quality pickleball shoes I’ve worn. The Tyrols weigh about three ounces more than the Skechers but that’s in part because of the hard plastic heel counter, which provides solid ankle and heel support. A heavier shoe isn’t necessarily a negative with pickleball shoes; it often is due to better materials being used. Tyrol makes only pickleball shoes and uses input from pro players. All Tyrols come in 2E width and for my wide feet I used shoe stretchers and walked in them wearing two pairs of max cushion Thorlo socks for a couple days; the toe boxes were wide enough after that. The Skechers cost $75, the Tyrols are twice as much but I think will be more durable and last longer.
Here’s a nice customer service story: I found the Tryol CEO online and messaged him, requesting he sell 4E widths. I told him I already owned two pairs of Tyrols in 2E. He messaged back saying one Tyrol model has softer material in the toe box and would fit me. He then sent me a free pair of the Tyrol Drive V (the royal blue shoes in photo). He said he did not know I am a pickleball writer, he just liked that I reached out to him and already owned two pairs of Tyrols. That, my friends, is great customer service, which is hard to find these days.
Thoughts of the week, not all pickleball
· Not to besmirch the entire medical staffing industry, but I’ve talked with several receptionists at doctors’ offices recently and the cranky ones outnumbered the nice folks.
· Game 7 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays averaged nearly 26 million viewers in the US, making it the most-watched MLB game in 34 years. For everyone claiming baseball is boring and the NBA is hot, last June’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals between Indiana and Oklahoma City averaged 16.5 million viewers in the US.
· Trolls on Facebook claiming pickleball isn’t a sport or otherwise mocking the game just want to start a back and forth with you. Ignoring them is my suggestion, they will stop eventually, like a spoiled child crying out for attention.
· Speaking of Facebook trolls, I can’t be the only old guy getting friend requests from people purporting to be beautiful young women. I ignore them and delete them. They are most likely coming from men in Nigeria or India, phishing for personal information.
· CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo made me chuckle last week during the Chiefs-Bills game because he dropped a Dylan reference. “The Times They are A-Changin,” Romo said, referring to Dylan’s 1964 classic. I just didn’t expect Romo to come up with that. He’s a fantastic analyst who often tells viewers what play is about to happen and then it happens.
· The only TV dramatic series I follow is Doc. The Tuesday night show on Fox is consistently well-written and well-acted, with interesting story lines that almost always contain ethical debates.
· If you want to laugh, Chad Powers on Hulu is hilarious. I laugh out-loud while watching the story of a once-great college quarterback who destroyed his NFL chances by having a meltdown on national TV. Eight years later he goes under disguise and enrolls at a college to try to resurrect his career. Series star and co-creator Glen Powell got the idea from a real prank pulled by former NFL QB Eli Manning three years ago.
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