Recursion is a powerful tool in competitive programming, but it can lead to several common pitfalls. One of the biggest issues is stack overflow, which occurs when the recursion depth exceeds the stack size. To avoid this, ensure your recursive function terminates correctly with a well-defined base case. Another pitfall is redundant calculations, where the same subproblem is solved multiple times, leading to inefficiencies. Using memoization (storing previously computed results) can solve this problem. Finally, be mindful of edge cases that might cause infinite recursion or incorrect results. By handling recursion carefully, you can avoid these pitfalls and solve complex problems efficiently.