–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
Pickleball has exploded in popularity, becoming the fastest-growing sport in the United States. Cities are racing to build new courts, and parks departments often convert one tennis court to 4 pickleball courts to keep up with demand. But something unexpected happens when those courts open: nearby residents start reporting a sharp, repetitive “pop-pop-pop” sound that quickly becomes difficult to live with. Many people wonder why this problem keeps appearing and why traditional noise rules don’t seem to help.
The answer begins with the sound itself. A pickleball hit is a very fast impact between a hard paddle and a hard plastic ball. Each hit has a quick, bright impulsive “pop” that the human ear is especially sensitive to. Each court generates an average of 900 popping noises each hour, with many courts used 12 hours a day. A steady stream of sharp, unpredictable impacts. Our bodies are wired to pay attention to sudden noises, so it’s difficult to “tune out” these sounds even when the sound levels, measured in decibels, don’t seem extreme.
Cities are increasingly finding themselves pulled into public controversies, petitions, tense council meetings, and even lawsuits. Headlines report suffering neighbors and angry players as communities react by shuttering courts that were built too close to homes, wasting public money and straining recreation budgets.
The irony is that cities already have the right tools: zoning ordinances and trained planning staff whose daily job is to prevent land-use incompatibility. What was missing was simply recognizing that pickleball noise behaves differently than other park activities — and therefore needs to be managed through zoning, not after-the-fact noise enforcement.
In response, leading cities have begun to rethink how and where pickleball courts should be located. Places like Park City, Utah; Torrance, California; and several East Coast towns have amended their zoning codes to create predictable rules that shield residents from controversy while protecting recreation departments or private developers from costly mistakes. The common strategy is a three- tier framework. First is setting a minimum setback distance between courts and homes, a “no pickleball zone” of 250, 350 or 500 feet.
Then for the court proposals just beyond that setback, the planning department can establish requirements for noise mitigation – some combination of noise barriers, limited playing hours and the mandatory hiring of staff to enforce the use of quieter paddles and balls. This intermediate distance is called the “conditional use zone”. Courts at a further distance of 800 to 1000 feet are approved “by right” without conditions as the noise has lost much of its energy by traveling over that distance.
The lesson from early adopters is clear: pickleball can thrive without generating noise controversy if cities treat it as a land-use planning question for the professionals in the zoning department rather than a noise-meter question. The communities that plan wisely avoid conflict, avoid bad publicity, protect public funds, and preserve the joy of the sport.
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
Pickleball, a paddle sport played with hard paddles and a plastic ball, has grown rapidly across the United States. In 2024 alone, more than 18,000 new courts were built nationwide. The noise is loud, impulsive, and often constant throughout the day. As more courts are constructed, the sharp, repetitive sounds of play are creating problems for nearby residents. This has led to widespread community conflicts, thousands of complaints, and an estimated 200 legal claims across the country.
Decision-makers responsible for approving the location of new pickleball courts are generally aware of the sport’s social and health benefits, but may not be aware of the possible negative effects that pickleball noise may have on the surrounding community.
This survey explores how people living near pickleball courts are affected by the noise in their daily lives. It aims to guide better decisions about where new courts are built and how noise can be reduced. We received 440 responses from 264 communities impacted by pickleball noise. Some of the key results are as follows:
*Almost three out of four people living within 1000 feet of courts say they can hear pickleball noise inside their homes.
*Nearly half report they have been harassed by pickleball players.
*Nine out of ten describe the noise as repetitive popping—more than the six out of ten who say it’s “loud”.
Eight out of ten respondents say that the noise constantly or almost always interferes with their ability to enjoy their home or relax.
More than half have moved or are considering moving away because of the noise. Many have lived in their homes for 20 or 30 years, often near parks that were previously peaceful.
Health concerns are widespread. 92% of respondents reported some type of health effect related to the noise.
Seven out of ten reported concerns about unusually strong physical or emotional reactions to pickleball noise in their homes—ranging from anxiety, tension, or irritability to elevated heart rate.
Nearly six out of ten people are concerned about “phantom pops”, hearing the noise even when no one is playing—sometimes waking them up at night or occurring weeks after they’ve moved away.
Both of these responses suggest a possible trauma-like response in some residents living near courts. More research is urgently needed.
The results show that pickleball noise is having a strong impact on residents living nearby:
People—even those more than 500 feet from courts—report being unable to enjoy their homes,
consistent with a noise nuisance.
Many describe health concerns linked to the body’s stress response to chronic impulsive noise.
Community relationships are being strained, with conflicts and harassment between neighbors.
Using the decibel alone is not enough to convey the impacts of pickleball noise. It is the quality of the sound, its repetitiveness, its ability to be heard over long distances, and its duration. The setback between courts and homes may need to exceed 500 feet. Communities are encouraged to support pickleball recreation while also safeguarding residents’ health and well-being. Evidence-based guidelines for siting and noise control are needed to support this effort.
FIRST-IN-THE-NATION MEDICAL ANALYSIS: The Hidden Health Impact of Pickleball Noise on Neighbors
Media Contact: Nalini Lasiewicz Executive Director, The Robert and Nalini Lasiewicz Foundation Phone: 818-249-9691 Email: nalini@lasiewicz.org Web: https://lasiewicz.org
NEW ORLEANS, LA – MAY 19, 2025 – As pickleball’s popularity explodes nationwide, a groundbreaking medical analysis reveals the concerning physiological and psychological effects of its signature impulsive noise on nearby residents. This first-of-its-kind investigation demands the attention of public health officials, researchers, and communities grappling with this emerging issue.
Kathleen Romito, MD, Medical Advisor to the Lasiewicz Foundation (La Cañada Flintridge, CA), will present preliminary findings live in New Orleans this week during the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) annual meeting at the New Orleans Marriott. Dr. Romito’s presentation, “Session 4aPP — Pickleball noise – A qualitative description of the psychological and physiological effects on nearby residents” will take place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM CT. Her accompanying paper is co-authored with Daniel Fink, MD.
Dr. Romito’s analysis of public data, including social media, news reports, and legal filings, indicates a potential link between persistent pickleball “pop” and serious non-auditory health impacts reported by neighbors. These include anxiety, sleep disruption, the novel phenomenon of phantom pickleball sounds, and alarmingly, PTSD-like symptoms and suicidal ideation. The study also highlights self-reported cardiac and neurological complaints.
This presentation is a crucial opportunity for journalists to:
Be the first to report on this novel medical analysis highlighting a potential public health concern linked to a rapidly growing sport.
Interview Dr. Kathleen Romito, MD, a medical professional on the front lines of this emerging issue.
Gain access to preliminary data and insights into the surprising ways impulsive noise may be affecting communities.
Capture a unique angle on the ongoing discussion surrounding pickleball’s impact on neighborhoods.
“We are urgently calling on the research community, the pickleball industry, and community leaders to bring their attention to this emerging and serious concern” states Dr. Romito. “With over 50,000 pickleball courts across the U.S. and more being built every week, understanding the potential health consequences for nearby residents is paramount. This initial analysis underscores the urgent need for further, comprehensive research.”
CREDENTIALED MEDIA WELCOME: The Acoustical Society of America offers free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. For registration details, please contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org.
About the Robert and Nalini Lasiewicz Foundation: The Robert and Nalini Lasiewicz Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to connecting researchers, policymakers, noise experts, engineers, neighbors, players, vendors, and local governments to address the growing problem of noise in shared community spaces.
Quiet Communities, Scientific Advisory Board, The Robert and Nalini Lasiewicz Foundation, BOISE, ID, 83703-1000, United States
Daniel Fink – DJFink@thequietcoalition.org
Program Chair, The Quiet Coalition
A program of Quiet Communities, Inc.
60 Thoreau Street Suite 261
Concord, MA 01742
Popular version of 4aPP1 – Pickleball noise – A qualitative description of the psychological and physiological effects on nearby residents
Presented at the 188th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0038039
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
New research shows that pickleball noise appears to raise major health concerns for residents living near courts. Pickleball is a racquet sport like tennis, but is played on smaller courts with hard wood or fiberglass paddles and hard plastic balls similar to whiffle balls. Instead of the softer “ping” heard during tennis, pickleball play makes a piercing “pop” sound. Pickleball started increasing in popularity during Covid, and many residents living near courts have now had several years of daily exposure to the popping noise.
How does pickleball noise affect the neighbors? Image source: Nicholas Klein, Istock photo 1746673904, 2023
Our study found that disrupted sleep, cardiac, and neurologic issues were the most common self-reported physical symptoms from nearby neighbors as shown in Figure 1. Hearing phantom pops appears to be a new type of phenomenon that can’t be completely explained yet, but may represent changes in brain processing systems.
Figure 1: Self-reported physical symptoms from pickleball noise exposure.
Self-reported psychological symptoms included mental health problems, mentions of trauma, and “red flag” complaints including severe distress, mention of torture, and suicidal thoughts as shown in Figure 2. An example of a comment that was classified as “severe distress” is: “No one would choose to live this way. It is physically and emotionally debilitating”.
Figure 2: Self-reported psychological symptoms from pickleball noise exposure.
Why do those living near pickleball courts feel this way?
The piercing “pop” comes from a sudden, loud burst of sound called impulse noise. Impulse noise is characterized by short duration with a sharp rise and decrease, as shown below in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Pickleball noise sound pressure trace. Image courtesy of Lance Willis, Spenderian and Willis, Tucson, AZ.
Listen to this audio below to hear the sound generated by 4 pickleball courts.
An acoustic study of one neighbor’s experience found up to 2800 pickleball pops per hour, for a total of 21,208 pops in one day as shown in Figure 4. That’s a lot of disruptive impulse noise to endure. And to make it even worse, the frequency of the “popping” sound (about 1200 Hertz) is the same as back up alarms for vehicles.
Figure 4: One day, 4 courts, hourly distribution of 21,208 total pops. Image courtesy of Noise Net Operations US, Inc.
It’s not unusual for those living near pickleball courts to be exposed to this repetitive impulse noise more than 90 hours/week. That might be more than 100,000 pickleball pops a week! Figure 5 demonstrates a day for busy courts open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Figure 5: A typical day of pickleball noise exposure for a neighbor near busy courts.
While some workplace studies have examined impulse noise and hearing loss, our study is the first to explore its health effects on the general public. Long-term exposure to impulse noise wasn’t a public concern until pickleball courts were built near homes. In some cases, the popping is even heard inside people’s homes.
We used a research method called content analysis to analyze public comments in news reports, legal filings and social media, spotting early trends by grouping and counting similar comments. While not definitive, this method helps identify problems, guide research, and spark discussion.
Local noise ordinances often focus on average sound levels (decibels) and don’t regulate repetitive impulse noise like pickleball. Unfortunately, most noise studies don’t consider all the factors that affect how people actually perceive such noise, especially the repetitive impulse noise hours a day from pickleball play. As pickleball noise expert and referee Bob Unetich told NPR in 2023, “You can’t take pop, pop, pop for 12 hours a day every day and remain sane.”
We need more research on how long-term impulse noise affects the health of people living near pickleball courts. Future studies could look at what makes pickleball noise unique, how this kind of noise impacts people’s minds and bodies, how far courts should be from homes, and how well different noise-reducing methods work.
So far, we aren’t aware of any courts within 100 feet of homes that have been successfully quieted. Until more is known, we recommend that courts not be placed within 100 feet of homes and that courts within 1,000 feet of homes receive close attention. Sound evaluations by engineers should look at more than just how loud the sound is. All the factors that affect how humans perceive sound should be considered.
There is no doubt that pickleball is lots of fun for those who play, but it raises major health concerns for those living near the courts.
When advising on the noise associated with pickleball, loudness is just one of many concerns, and solutions require infrastructure or limitations on play.
OTTAWA, Ontario, May 17, 2024 – Pickleball Legal Consultant is a job title that likely did not exist a decade ago, but as pickleball courts infiltrate neighborhoods to satiate an appetite for a sport whose namesake is a snack, communities take issue with the resulting influx of noise. Now homeowners’ associations and city councils face litigation by those whose lives are disrupted by pickleball’s din.
Charles Leahy, an attorney, retired mechanical engineer, and former HOA board member became interested in this issue after his HOA dismissed the recommendations of noise consultants and failed to install noise absorbing barriers. Litigation over noise nuisance ensued and threatens closure of the courts.
Leahy sought to understand how acoustic engineers assess the noise, how they fashion their recommendations, and what best practices engineers can employ to persuade the community that the noise is real and needs to be mitigated. He will present his work Friday, May 17, at 8:35 a.m. EDT in a session dedicated to pickleball as part of a joint meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and the Canadian Acoustical Association, running May 13-17 at the Shaw Centre located in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Experts recommend HOAs and communities consider the “popping” noise associated with pickleball when deciding to build courts near homes. Image credit: AIP
“Compared to tennis, pickleball is a much smaller court, easier to learn, and especially accessible to seniors,” said Leahy. “Each tennis court can become up to four pickleball courts. Tennis involves a soft and compressible ball and a racket with strings. Pickleball is a hard plastic ball and a hard paddle. Tennis produces a ‘thunk’ sound versus pickleball ’pop,’ which is louder, sharper, more piercing, and more frequent. Thus, more annoying.”
Communities looking to invest in – and those facing lawsuits because of – the courts often seek out engineering consultants to advise them. Leahy examined over 70 pickleball consultant noise reports and compared their recommendations with the American National Standard Institute. He found many reports considered only the decibels associated with the noise, but other factors are important too.
“It’s not just the loudness, it’s the impulsive sharpness and randomness of the ‘pops,’” said Leahy. “It’s the persistence and repetition of the random noises over many hours a day, usually seven days a week.”
His best recommendation is to build courts far from homes, at least 600-800 feet away to allow the sound to naturally dissipate. Less desirable (or more difficult or costly) solutions include enclosing the courts within a building or wall barriers or using less noisy paddles and balls.
“Pickleball has a highly impulsive noise, with each court generating about 900 pop noises per hour,” said Leahy. “It’s incompatible with residential living. Cities can also locate pickleball in industrial and commercial neighborhoods rather than close to homes.
“The benefits of pickleball to the players are undeniable, and the demand for more pickleball courts is real and genuine. However, there needs to be more research, more planning and prevention, and more effort to avoid ending up in front of the judge and jury.”
ASA PRESS ROOM In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.
LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.
PRESS REGISTRATION ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the in-person meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.
ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN ACOUSTICAL ASSOCIATION/ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D’ACOUSTIQUE
fosters communication among people working in all areas of acoustics in Canada
promotes the growth and practical application of knowledge in acoustics
encourages education, research, protection of the environment, and employment in acoustics
is an umbrella organization through which general issues in education, employment and research can be addressed at a national and multidisciplinary level
The CAA is a member society of the International Institute of Noise Control Engineering (I-INCE) and the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA), and is an affiliate society of the International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration (IIAV). Visit https://caa-aca.ca/.
Pickleball, a paddle sport played with hard paddles and a plastic ball, has grown rapidly across the United States. In 2024 alone, more than 18,000 new courts were built nationwide. The noise is loud, impulsive, and often constant throughout the day. As more courts are constructed, the sharp, repetitive sounds of play are creating problems for nearby residents. This has led to widespread community conflicts, thousands of complaints, and an estimated 200 legal claims across the country.
Figure 2: Self-reported psychological symptoms from pickleball noise exposure.
Figure 3: Pickleball noise sound pressure trace. Image courtesy of Lance Willis, Spenderian and Willis, Tucson, AZ.
Figure 4: One day, 4 courts, hourly distribution of 21,208 total pops. Image courtesy of Noise Net Operations US, Inc.
Figure 5: A typical day of pickleball noise exposure for a neighbor near busy courts.