While pickleball isn’t necessarily a new sport, it sure has become all the rage in the last few years. A cross between tennis, badminton and ping pong, it’s easy to understand why the popular sport has appeal among such a wide audience, not to mention the health benefits.
Along with the cardiovascular benefits that come with increased heart rate, playing pickleball helps improve balance, coordination and mobility, along with building muscle and bone strength. But like any sport or activity, playing pickleball also carries a risk of injury, especially when someone takes to the court without any precautions.
“We see quite a few pickleball injuries every year, ranging from elbow to shoulder injuries, ankle sprains, and knee injuries,” says Michelle Peterson, a physical therapist and Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Rehabilitation Manager at Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers. “Some of that is because a lot of older folks are playing pickleball. When we reach 40, we probably don’t realize that we should warm up and train a little bit before going right into playing any kind of sport.”
Cross training for 4-6 weeks before joining a pickleball league is highly recommended.
“You don’t want go to out and play pickleball without building up some endurance, and you can do that with a cardiovascular activity like swimming or cycling,” says Peterson. “Injuries are more likely to happen when you get fatigued out on the court. Your muscles can even start to get fatigued because they’re not getting enough oxygen. That’s when injuries happen.”
In addition to cardio exercises to build endurance, Peterson emphasizes the importance of overall strength and conditioning, with a particular focus on core strengthening, which is essential for sports like pickleball that demand upper-body stability, balance and power.
“You want to make sure you do some type of core strengthening to enhance the key muscle groups before you start playing. For pickleball, that’s going to include your legs, upper body, and core,” she said.
Like any sport, Peterson also said it’s important to warm up just prior to playing. Dynamic stretching is best, which means movement with stretching. For help with dynamic stretches, Peterson recommends going to YouTube and typing in dynamic stretches for rotator cuff, shoulder, hamstring, or dynamic stretches for pickleball in general.
And don’t forget about cool down after playing.
“Static stretches are recommended after you’re done playing to reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility,” she said. “All of these things can help prevent injury.”
Here are some additional tips to help reduce injury:
- To prevent ankle injuries, wear supportive shoes designed for court sports.
- To avoid wrist or elbow injuries, make sure the paddle grip on your racquet is appropriate for your hand size.
- Be cautious with your movements and play within your physical limits, especially if you’re an older player.
- When you’re not playing pickleball, make an effort to engage in other forms of exercise such as swimming, cycling or yoga. This will help reduce overuse injuries from repetitive pickleball movements.
- Be sure to allow your body time to rest and recover between games.
How to Recognize an Injury
Peterson said it’s common to have some muscle soreness after the first few times you play, especially if you’re using muscles that haven’t been used in some time. But if the soreness – or pain – lingers for more than 48 hours, you might want to get checked out, especially if you’re experiencing sharp pain with specific movements.
“If you ignore what your body is telling you and keep playing, you risk ending up with an overuse injury,” she said. “Usually the longer someone puts off getting treatment for any injury, the longer it takes to recover and get better.”
If you think you might be experiencing a sports related injury, contact Morris Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, with locations in Diamond-Coal City, Joliet, Morris and Ottawa. For phone numbers by location, visit www.morrishospital.org/orthopedics.
