Shoes are one of the essential factors in any game, including indoor and outdoor court sports, like pickleball, racquetball, squash, etc. A good-fit shoe helps you in various movements on the court. Moreover, it directly affects your foot health. If your shoes are too tight, it will cause issues for your feet. On the contrary, you will not have a controlled maneuver with a loose shoe.
So understanding the shoe sizes and finding the right fitted shoes is crucial for your feet and playability. This article will discuss all the facts about the fit and size of your pickleball shoes.
Table of Contents
- 1 Does Shoe Size Matter in Pickleball
- 2 Tight Shoes Affect Your Pickleball Performance and Health
- 3 Loose Shoes Affect Your Pickleball Performance and Health
- 4 Average Shoe Size: What Determines Shoe Size for Men
- 5 Men’s Average Shoe Size in the USA by Height
- 6 Women’s Average Shoe Size in the USA by Height
- 7 How to Know Your Pickleball Shoe Size
- 8 Pickleball Shoe Fit Tips
- 9 Pickleball Shoe Measurement Tips
- 10 Inches to CM COnversion and Vice Versa
- 11 How to Take Measurements of Your Foot
- 12 Standard Shoe Size Chart in the USA (Based on Foot Length and Width)
- 13 Men to Women’s Shoe Conversion Chart
- 14 Final Verdicts
Does Shoe Size Matter in Pickleball
Definitely. Shoe size matters in your pickleball performance. As I mentioned earlier, whether tight or loose, your feet will not stand on the ground in the right way, leaving you without much control over your movements.
Tight Shoes Affect Your Pickleball Performance and Health
Close-fitting shoes cause several health issues. It makes you shaky on your feet while walking, running, or even standing. A tight shoe puts a lot of pressure on your toes, especially when someone has the longest first toe. As a result, your toes might lose their shape. Moreover, a congested shoe causes several foot issues, like blisters, bunions, pain, and swelling.
Loose Shoes Affect Your Pickleball Performance and Health
Loose shoes are not suitable for any kind of sports activity. This is because your feet do not feel comfortable in a much-flexible shoe, which increases the risk of slipping and falling frequently. In addition, you can not stand on the soles, and the shoe does not move equally with your feet.
Shin pain is a common issue caused by loose shoes as your foot muscles need extra work to have control while walking and running. Arch support becomes poor when it becomes flat. A loose-fitting shoe only leads to your feet becoming weaker day by day.
That’s why the right size shoe is a must for your foot’s health and performance.
Average Shoe Size: What Determines Shoe Size for Men
The average shoe size for men is 10.5 in the USA. Note that various factors, including specific shoe sizes:
- Height
- Age
- Weight
- Foot type
- Genetics
However, shoe size is never an indicator of your health condition. For example, your feet get bigger over time as you grow older. This is because gaining weight forces your foot’s arch to become flat. Also, if you are an active person who does a lot of physical work or plays frequently, you will usually have a wider foot.
Shoe sizes are usually counted by length and width. Moreover, the size has a numerical number and an alphabet. The numerical number indicates the length, and the alphabet refers to the width.
Men’s Average Shoe Size in the USA by Height
Your height has a direct relationship with your foot length. A tall person usually has longer feet than a shorter person. Still, it does not always mean that a longer person might have a bigger foot.
In the US, men’s average height is between 5’6′′ and 5’9′′, and that determines the men’s average shoe size of about 10.5. However, the following sizes can give you an idea of the shoe sizes by height for men in the United States. You can try shoe fitting at the shop based on this chart.
| Men’s Height in USA | Shoe Size in USA | |
| 5’5″ or shorter | 7 to 9 | |
| 5’6″ to 5’9″ | 9.5 to 10.5 | |
| 5’10” to 6’2″ | 11 to 12.5 | |
| 6’3″ and taller | 13 to 20+ |
Women’s Average Shoe Size in the USA by Height
The average shoe size for US women varies between 8.5 and 9. However, different players can have different shoe sizes, especially with varying widths in the US. Also, there are a lot of players who come from different ethnicities.
The following chart gives a primary idea of the women’s shoe sizes according to their height.
| Your Height | Shoe Size |
| 4’9″ to 5’3″ | 5 to 8.5 |
| 5’4″ to 5’7″ | 6.5 to 10 |
| 5’8″ to 6′, 6’+ | 9 to 15 |
How to Know Your Pickleball Shoe Size
A good fit shoe is crucial in your pickleball game. And hence, knowing the correct shoe size is equally important for having the perfect pair of shoes. Like any other sports shoes or sneakers, pickleball shoe sizing is also chosen by the length and width of your foot.
Shoes, whether too small or too big, will always cause you trouble, resulting in foot pain and causing several issues, including plantar fasciitis. The following chart will give you an idea of the typical pickleball shoe size that the manufacturers offer. have been following. Although you know your exact fit size, you should always check the product pages if any deviation or exceptional fit has been declared.
Pickleball Shoe Fit Tips
- If you feel pain or inconvenience during normal walking, it usually happens because of your shoes. They are either very tight or small shoes.
- Your feet will not land on the ground with the shoes if they are too big for your feet because there will be extra space inside the loose shoes where your feet are constantly moving. Moreover, looseness also causes blisters at the toe and back of the heel.
- Check the product pages for any special instructions mentioned by the manufacturers.
- Even a good product can have several issues with different types of consumers. Check the review sections, where the actual users leave their thoughts and user experiences.
- Foot sizes are constant throughout your life. Still, the shapes of your feet can alter for several reasons, including age, daily activities, body weight, etc. Over time, the feet’ ligaments and tendons lose their strength and capability to leap back. In acute cases, the lateral arch and transverse arch might lose their increase. And the result is a flattened foot. A flat foot will increase your foot length, for which you may need a larger size shoe.
Pickleball Shoe Measurement Tips
- If we measure our body height in the morning, we will likely find it half a cm larger than if we measure it in the evening. But that changing of the length happens in reverse to your feet. Become surprised! It simply occurs because of the walking and standing throughout the day that your ankles and feet expand to their widest size. Therefore, take the shoe measurements by evening or at the end of the day.
- Socks have a great impact on shoe fitting. Wearing shoes without socks causes odors, infections, and blisters. Wear socks when you take measurements of your feet. Remember, for pickleball shoes, you will not need a thicker sock as you would need for hiking boots.
- For most of us, the right side of our bodies is dominant. While walking, when we step forward with the left foot, the assertive right side controls the steadiness. All this results in having a slightly bigger right foot. If you are left-handed, your left foot might be stronger and bigger than your right. So, while measuring the foot size, take a calculation of both the right and left foot. And then pick the larger one.
- If you are taking shoe measurements yourself, do not do it while standing; it is better to sit on a chair.
- If someone is helping you take the shoe measurements, you should stand this time to get better accuracy.
Inches to CM COnversion and Vice Versa
If the ruler has centimeters, convert the measurements to inches by dividing the data by 2.54. Or multiply the data by 2.54 to get the number from inches to centimeters.
How to Take Measurements of Your Foot
- First, sit on a chair when you measure your foot yourself.
- Take a piece of paper longer than and broader than your feet. Letter-sized paper is okay.
- Place the paper on the ground and keep your feet in the middle of it.
- Take a pencil and move around the foot. Do not hold the pencil slanted.
- Hold the pencil straight and touch the paper until one complete move is made.
- With a ruler, measure the length and width.
Measure the Length of Your Feet
- Measure the distance of the farthest points between the toe and heel.
- For better accuracy, decrease the number by half a cm. That distance is your foot’s length.
Measure the Width of Your Feet
- Measure the space between one point to another point of the toes. That spread is the width of your feet. For adequate accuracy, lower the number by half a cm. For some people who have wide feet, the middle of the feet can be the widest part.
- Foot width is also crucial in shoe size. Manufacturers nowadays offer narrower or wider shoes besides the standard width.
- Your foot width relates to your foot length. So when you follow a chart, look carefully to avoid shoes with the wrong width.
- Shoe width is mentioned with a letter or a group of letters. The standard width of men’s sizes is D. However, you may find the broader shoes in sizes EEEE or 4E.
Standard Shoe Size Chart in the USA (Based on Foot Length and Width)
In the US, men’s and women’s shoes follow numerical numbers. For men, the sizes differ from 6 to 16, available in full and half sizes. For example, both 6 and 6 ½ sizes are available for men.
For women, US sizes vary from 5 to 12, with full and half of each size. However, you can follow the next few charts to get an idea of how the manufacturers follow the size charts based on the foot length and width.
Women’s Shoe Size Chart in the USA (Based on Foot Length and Width)
The standard shoe width for women is B. Find your right shoe by following the right column for length and width.
| Foot Length (inches) | Foot Length (cm) | US Size | Shoe Size | Narrow Size “BB” (inches) | Standard or Medium Size “M” or “B” (inches) | Wide Size “D” (inches) | Extra Wide Size “EE” (inches) |
| 8 9/16″ | 21.6 cm | 5 | 5 | 2 13/16″ | 3 3/16″ | 3 9/16″ | 3 15/16″ |
| 8 3/4″ | 22.2 cm | 5.5 | 5.5 | 2 7/8″ | 3 1/4″ | 3 5/8″ | 4″ |
| 8 7/8″ | 22.5 cm | 6 | 6 | 2 15/16″ | 3 5/16″ | 3 11/16″ | 4 1/16″ |
| 9 1/16″ | 23 cm | 6.5 | 6.5 | 3″ | 3 3/8″ | 3 3/4″ | 4 1/8″ |
| 9 1/4″ | 23.5 cm | 7 | 7 | 3 1/16″ | 3 7/16″ | 3 13/16″ | 4 3/16″ |
| 9 3/8″ | 23.8 cm | 7.5 | 7.5 | 3 1/8″ | 3 1/2″ | 3 7/8″ | 4 1/4″ |
| 9 1/2″ | 24.1 cm | 8 | 8 | 3 3/16″ | 3 9/16″ | 3 15/16″ | 4 5/16″ |
| 9 11/16″ | 24.6 cm | 8.5 | 8.5 | 3 1/4″ | 3 5/8″ | 4″ | 4 3/8″ |
| 9 7/8″ | 25.1 cm | 9 | 9 | 3 5/16″ | 3 11/16″ | 4 1/16″ | 4 7/16″ |
| 10″ | 25.4 cm | 9.5 | 9.5 | 3 3/8″ | 3 3/4″ | 4 1/8″ | 4 1/2″ |
| 10 3/16″ | 25.9 cm | 10 | 10 | 3 7/16″ | 3 13/16″ | 4 3/16″ | 4 9/16″ |
| 10 3/8″ | 26.2 cm | 10.5 | 10.5 | 3 1/2″ | 3 7/8″ | 4 1/4″ | 4 5/8″ |
| 10 1/2″ | 26.7 cm | 11 | 11 | 3 9/16″ | 3 15/16″ | 4 5/16″ | 4 11/16″ |
| 10 11/16″ | 27.1 cm | 11.5 | 11.5 | 3 5/8″ | 4″ | 4 3/8″ | 4 3/4″ |
| 10 7/8″ | 27.6 cm | 12 | 12 | 3 11/16″ | 4 1/16″ | 4 7/16″ | 4 13/16″ |
Women’s International Shoe Size Chart (Based on Foot Length and Width)
The average shoe size for adult female players from another country outside the USA is around 7 to 8.
| Foot Length (inches) | Foot Length (cm) | US Size | UK Size | European Size | Japanese Size |
| 8 9/16″ | 21.6 cm | 5 | 3 | 35/36 | 22 |
| 8 3/4″ | 22.2 cm | 5.5 | 3.5 | 36 | 22.5 |
| 8 7/8″ | 22.5 cm | 6 | 4 | 36/37 | 23 |
| 9 1/16″ | 23 cm | 6.5 | 4.5 | 37 | 23.5 |
| 9 1/4″ | 23.5 cm | 7 | 5 | 37/38 | 24 |
| 9 3/8″ | 23.8 cm | 7.5 | 5.5 | 38 | 24.5 |
| 9 1/2″ | 24.1 cm | 8 | 6 | 38/39 | 25 |
| 9 11/16″ | 24.6 cm | 8.5 | 6.5 | 39 | 25.5 |
| 9 7/8″ | 25.1 cm | 9 | 7 | 39/40 | 26 |
| 10″ | 25.4 cm | 9.5 | 7.5 | 40 | 26.5 |
| 10 3/16″ | 25.9 cm | 10 | 8 | 40/41 | 27 |
| 10 3/8″ | 26.2 cm | 10.5 | 8.5 | 41 | 27.5 |
| 10 1/2″ | 26.7 cm | 11 | 9 | 41/42 | 28 |
| 10 11/16″ | 27.1 cm | 11.5 | 9.5 | 42 | 28.5 |
| 10 7/8″ | 27.6 cm | 12 | 10 | 42/43 | 29 |
Men’s Shoe Size Chart in the USA (Based on Foot Length and Width)
Men’s court shoes are usually available in medium widths. You can find it by a “D” with shoe size. For example, 10D means shoe length is 10 and width is B. Shoe widths are available from narrow (B) size to medium, wide, extra wide, and extra wide.
| Foot Length (inches) | Foot Length (cm) | US Size | Shoe Size | Narrow Size“B” (inches) | Standard or Medium Size “D” (inches) | Wide Size “EE” or “2E” (inches) | Extra Wide Size “4E” (inches) | Extra, Extra Wide Size “6E” (inches) |
| 9 1/4″ | 23.5 cm | 6 | 6 | 3 5/16 | 3 1/2 | 3 11/16 | 3 7/8 | 4 1/16 |
| 9 1/2″ | 24.1 cm | 6.5 | 6.5 | 3 3/8 | 3 9/16 | 3 3/4 | 3 15/16 | 4 1/8 |
| 9 5/8″ | 24.4 cm | 7 | 7 | 3 7/16 | 3 5/8 | 3 13/16 | 4 | 4 3/16 |
| 9 3/4″ | 24.8 cm | 7.5 | 7.5 | 3 1/2 | 3 11/16 | 3 7/8 | 4 1/16 | 4 1/4 |
| 9 15/16″ | 25.4 cm | 8 | 8 | 3 9/16 | 3 3/4 | 3 15/16 | 4 1/8 | 4 5/16 |
| 10 1/8″ | 25.7 cm | 8.5 | 8.5 | 3 5/8 | 3 13/16 | 4 | 4 3/16 | 4 3/8 |
| 10 1/4″ | 26 cm | 9 | 9 | 3 11/16 | 3 7/8 | 4 1/16 | 4 1/4 | 4 7/16 |
| 10 7/16″ | 26.7 cm | 9.5 | 9.5 | 3 3/4 | 3 15/16 | 4 1/8 | 4 5/16 | 4 1/2 |
| 10 9/16″ | 27 cm | 10 | 10 | 3 13/16 | 4 | 4 3/16 | 4 3/8 | 4 9/16 |
| 10 3/4″ | 27.3 cm | 10.5 | 10.5 | 3 7/8 | 4 1/16 | 4 1/4 | 4 7/16 | 4 5/8 |
| 10 15/16″ | 27.9 cm | 11 | 11 | 3 15/16 | 4 1/8 | 4 5/16 | 4 1/2 | 4 11/16 |
| 11 1/8″ | 28.3 cm | 11.5 | 11.5 | 4 | 4 3/16 | 4 3/8 | 4 9/16 | 4 3/4 |
| 11 1/4″ | 28.6 cm | 12 | 12 | 4 1/16 | 4 1/4 | 4 7/16 | 4 5/8 | 4 13/16 |
| 11 9/16″ | 29.4 cm | 13 | 13 | 4 3/16 | 4 3/8 | 4 9/16 | 4 3/4 | 4 15/16 |
| 11 7/8″ | 30.2 cm | 14 | 14 | 4 5/16 | 4 1/2 | 4 11/16 | 4 7/8 | 5 1/16 |
| 12 3/16″ | 31 cm | 15 | 15 | 4 7/16 | 4 5/8 | 4 13/16 | 5 | 5 3/16 |
Men’s International Shoe Size Chart (Based on Foot Length and Width)
In the US, many players come from different regions and countries, and not all men have the same shoe size. So the standard size D may not be a good fit for all of them. As an international men’s shoe size, the most common length is between 9 and 12. If you are a migrated player from Asia, you should carefully check the sizes served by the manufacturers.
| Foot Length (inches) | Foot Length (cm) | US Size | UK Size | European Size | Japanese Size |
| 9 1/4″ | 23.5 cm | 6 | 5.5 | 39 | 25 |
| 9 1/2″ | 24.1 cm | 6.5 | 6 | 39/40 | 25.5 |
| 9 5/8″ | 24.4 cm | 7 | 6.5 | 40 | 26 |
| 9 3/4″ | 24.8 cm | 7.5 | 7 | 40/41 | 26.5 |
| 9 15/16″ | 25.4 cm | 8 | 7.5 | 41 | 27 |
| 10 1/8″ | 25.7 cm | 8.5 | 8 | 41/42 | 27.5 |
| 10 1/4″ | 26 cm | 9 | 8.5 | 42 | 28 |
| 10 7/16″ | 26.7 cm | 9.5 | 9 | 42/43 | 28.5 |
| 10 9/16″ | 27 cm | 10 | 9.5 | 43 | 29 |
| 10 3/4″ | 27.3 cm | 10.5 | 10 | 43/44 | 29.5 |
| 10 15/16″ | 27.9 cm | 11 | 10.5 | 44 | 30 |
| 11 1/8″ | 28.3 cm | 11.5 | 11 | 44/45 | 31 |
| 11 1/4″ | 28.6 cm | 12 | 11.5 | 45 | 32 |
| 11 9/16″ | 29.4 cm | 13 | 12 | 45/46 | |
| 11 7/8″ | 30.2 cm | 14 | 12.5 | 46 | |
| 12 3/16″ | 31 cm | 15 | 13 | 46/47 |
Men to Women’s Shoe Conversion Chart
| Men’s US Size | Women’s US Size |
| 5 | 6.5 |
| 5.5 | 7 |
| 6 | 7.5 |
| 6.5 | 8 |
| 7 | 8.5 |
| 7.5 | 9 |
| 8 | 9.5 |
| 8.5 | 10 |
| 9 | 10.5 |
| 9.5 | 11 |
| 10 | 11.5 |
| 10.5 | 12 |
| 11 | 12.5 |
| 11.5 | 13 |
| 12 | 13.5 |
Final Verdicts
Our feet are potentially the foundation of our body. It carries the weight, helps to move by walking or running in court sports and daily activities, and provides balance. Though countless variations might distract you from choosing the right shoe, you should not worry about ending up with the wrong shoes.
Your shoe size does not matter for your health. Just focus on the right fit. And if you have found a shoe that gives you control and comfort on the pickleball court, stick to that shoe size.
