Yes, pickleball can cause lower back pain. In a 2025 survey of 1,758 U.S. players, about 1 in 5 reported a back complaint in the past year. Repeated low bending, twisting, long sessions and falls are the usual culprits. Bend your knees, not your waist, warm up and add court time gradually. Leg numbness, weakness or bladder changes mean see a doctor.
I left tennis for pickleball because of my lower back. It’s right there on my About page: my body, “specifically my lower back (SI JOINT!),” was starting to protest.
Pickleball looked like the fix. Smaller court. Underhand serve. Way less running. Easy mode.
It wasn’t. By early 2023 I was admitting it in my injury roundup: pickleball is easier on my body overall, but “it’s not any better for my lower back–in fact, it might be worse!”
So this isn’t a “pickleball is gentle, come on in” post. It’s what the research actually shows, which habits medical sources back, and where I’m just telling you what I do.
Drew Pierce is a USA Pickleball Ambassador, PPR certified coach, and tennis crossover who covers beginner tips, paddle releases, and the sport’s growing culture. Read more on his About page or tune into Pickle Rock Radio.