A sports doctor's advice on preventing pickleball injuries (AMA, July 2026)
Short answer: In a July 2026 American Medical Association interview, sports medicine physician Christopher Wu, MD, said overuse injuries and strains are the most common pickleball problems, and urged players to get lessons, warm up dynamically and avoid running shoes with soft soles.
General information from a published interview, not personal medical advice.
- Medical clearance. Anyone with heart or lung conditions, or who is new to activity, should see their primary doctor first.
- Technique. Even if cleared, get lessons or pointers from a coach or an experienced player.
- Who gets hurt. Dr Wu said the injuries he saw were mostly strains or overuse, often in people in their 30s to 50s. Fractures are possible but he had not seen them as a result of pickleball. Older players who have not been active face more risk because their bodies are not used to the workload.
- Pickleball elbow. Similar to tennis elbow, often from ramping up too fast.
- Warm-up and hydration. Start with dynamic stretches, finish with static stretching, hydrate before, during and after.
- Shoes. Tennis shoes with firm sides and grip support lateral movement. Avoid soft-soled running shoes.
- Pain. Do not play through injuries. Most minor issues improve with conservative care.
Compare with the Yale Medicine advice.
Sources
Sources checked 14 Oct 2026. Header photo: A player lunging for the ball at an indoor pickleball tournament, by SET04SARAH2024, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
