Playing pickleball in the heat
How do I play pickleball safely in hot weather?
By Pickleball Safety editors · Published October 4, 2026 · Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Who is most at risk
Heat illness shows up often enough in pickleball that a 2026 review lists it among the sport's common problems [1].
Age is a big factor. The CDC says people 65 and older are more prone to heat-related health problems, and it lists athletes as a group at higher risk too [2]. That puts many pickleball players in two groups at once. In the Mount Sinai study of ER visits, the average injured player was 64 [3].
Health conditions matter as well. Hot days can be especially dangerous for people with chronic medical conditions [2], and some of them take medicines that can make the effects of heat worse [4].
Heat exhaustion
Watch for heavy sweating, weakness or tiredness, cool and clammy pale skin, a fast but weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, headache, and fainting [5]. Cramps can come first. The CDC calls them a possible early sign [6].
What to do: get the person somewhere cooler, ideally air-conditioned. Loosen their clothing, put cool wet cloths on them, and give sips of water. Get medical help right away if they vomit, or if their symptoms get worse or last longer than an hour [5].
Heat stroke
This one's an emergency. Signs include a throbbing headache, confusion, slurred speech, nausea, dizziness, a body temperature above 103°F, hot red skin that may be dry or damp, a rapid strong pulse, fainting, and passing out [5].
Call 911 or get the person to a hospital right away. Delay can be fatal. While you wait, move them somewhere cooler and bring their temperature down with cool cloths or a cool bath. Don't give them anything to drink [5].
Playing safely
The CDC's advice for athletes fits a hot pickleball court well [6]:
- Play earlier or later in the day when it's cooler, and cut back on midday play when the sun is hottest.
- Drink more water than usual. Don't wait until you're thirsty.
- Start slow and build up the pace.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothes, and put sunscreen on and keep reapplying it.
- Keep an eye on your partner, and ask them to watch you.
- If you feel faint or weak, stop playing and get somewhere cool.
Before you head out, the CDC suggests checking its HeatRisk dashboard for your local heat forecast [6].
Sources
- Common pickleball injuries and preventionSquali B, et al. Orthopaedic Nursing, 2026Common pickleball injuries and recommended prevention steps.
- People at increased risk for heat-related illnessCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024Who is most at risk in the heat.
- Increasing incidence of pickleball injuries presenting to US emergency departments: a 10-year epidemiologic analysis of mechanisms and trendsYu J, et al. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025A published estimate to compare our own numbers with.
- Heat and chronic conditionsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024Medicines that can make the effects of heat worse.
- Heat cramps, exhaustion, strokeNational Weather ServiceSigns of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and first aid for each.
- Heat and athletesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024How to exercise safely in hot weather.