Court Health5 reasons, 4 minute read
Tired feet by game three? Change the insole before the shoe.
Why more pickleball players are swapping the foam their court shoes came with, and the insole our reviewers keep in every pair.
Code PBUNION20 copies when you click.
Your paddle gets all the attention. Your feet do the harder job. Every split step, lunge and emergency stop starts at the floor, and most court shoes put a thin piece of foam between you and it. Here are five reasons that is worth fixing.
01
The insole in your court shoe is an afterthought
Brands pour the money into the outsole and the upper. What sits under your foot is usually a thin, flat sheet of foam. It looks fine on day one. It does very little by game three.
Swapping it out is the cheapest upgrade in your bag, and the one most players never think about. See the one our reviewers use.
02
Pickleball is a sideways sport. Most insoles aren’t.
Running insoles are built for straight lines. Pickleball is split steps, kitchen shuffles and hard stops. The PICKLEBALLPRO has a Super Grip top layer so your foot doesn’t slide inside the shoe on a cut, and a decoupled heel so heel and forefoot can move independently.
That is the difference you feel on the first wide dink. See how it is built.
03
Your arch isn’t average. Your insole shouldn’t be either.
Drugstore insoles come in one shape. Feet don’t. The PICKLEBALLPRO comes in low, medium and high profiles, and you can pick yours in 30 seconds: wet your foot, step on a paper bag, look at the print.
Most of your midfoot showing means low. About half means medium. A thin strip or nothing means high. Choose your profile on Amazon.
04
Game three is where it shows
A 2026 study of 383 tournament players found each extra hour of play per week raised the odds of injury about 6%. Hours add up, and the lower body takes most of it.
An insole won’t change that math, and anyone who says it will is selling something. What it does change is how the shoe feels in hour two: dual-layer cushioning under the heel and forefoot, and a foot that stays put. See today’s price.
Lee et al., Frontiers in Public Health, 2026. Already have pain? See a physical therapist or podiatrist first.
05
It survived 18 months in our reviewer’s shoes
Drew McCartt tested the PICKLEBALLPRO in January 2025 and scored it 4.75 out of 5. Eighteen months later, they are in three pairs of his court shoes.
His honest notes: snug for the first 30 minutes, then they settled. And at $59.95 they cost more than a drugstore insole. CURREX rates them for about 12 months or 500 miles. Get the pair Drew uses.
“They felt natural and comfortable.”
Drew McCartt, after nearly two hours on court in his first sessionDon’t take only our word for it
4.4 out of 5 from 175+ reviews on currex.com. Three that match what Drew found.
“I play three hours of pickleball at a time with these insoles in my pickleball shoes, and I love them! My feet don’t slide around.”
JaneVerified buyer, currex.com“Supportive, cushioning, and important to me, good durability. I play pickleball 5-6 days per week on concrete. I’m on my second pair. I select the high arch.”
DonaldVerified buyer, currex.com“Every step counts in pickleball, and CURREX makes each one better.”
Gabe TardioPPA and MLP pro, CURREX-sponsored athleteQuotes excerpted from currex.com. Read more reviews and pick your arch.
Four ways to fix what’s under your foot
Typical options and what each one actually changes.
| CURREX PICKLEBALLPRO | Factory insole | Drugstore gel insole | Custom orthotic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.95, or $47.96 with PBUNION20 | Included | Usually under $30 | Often $200 or more |
| Arch options | Low, medium, high | One, flat | Usually one | Molded to your foot |
| Built for side to side | Yes. Grip top layer, decoupled heel | No | Rarely | Depends on the prescription |
| Appointment needed | No. Trim to fit | No | No | Yes |
| Best for | Regular players who want a better fit | Getting started | Casual comfort | Diagnosed foot problems |
Price ranges are typical, not quotes. Custom orthotics are the right call for a diagnosed problem; ask a podiatrist.
Pickleball Union reader offer
CURREX PICKLEBALLPRO
$59.95 → $47.96
20% off with our code at checkout. Low, medium and high arch.
Clicking copies the code for you. Paste it at checkout.
List price $59.95. Code applies on Amazon. Prices and availability change; check at checkout. Pickleball Union earns a commission on purchases through these links.
Questions readers ask
Will an insole stop me from getting hurt?
No, and be wary of anyone who says so. The research points to load, warm-up, conditioning and movement. An insole improves fit and comfort in the shoe; it is not a medical device.
Will they fit my court shoes?
Most likely. Trim them to match your shoe’s original insole. They fit widths up to 2E. Low-volume shoes can feel snug for the first session.
How long do they last?
CURREX says about 12 months or 500 miles, whichever comes first.
Start with what’s under your foot
Get my 20% off →Code PBUNION20 copies when you click. Checkout on Amazon.
