Preventing Pickleball Pitfalls
Our team lead a workshop with our partners, Thoroughbred Pickleball, designed to educate pickleball players how to prevent injuries while playing.
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and with that, it is also has one of the highest rates of injury. Most commonly, the injuries involve the ankle, knee, hip, or arm.
Achilles Tendon Rupture or Tear
The player will take a quick step on the court and feel pain in the back of their ankle and often hear a pop and
have difficulty walking.
Prevention:
Improve ankle mobility
Improve impact resilience
Knee Sprains
Knee sprains, muscle strains – including quadriceps and hamstrings – and meniscal injuries are all common
injuries in pickleball.
Prevention:
Warming up and stretching is very important. Strengthening thigh muscles – including quadriceps,
hamstrings – in addition to our hip musculature, can also help in protection of the joint.
Hand, Wrist, and Shoulder Injuries
Acute wrist injuries are the most common complaints. They occur while tripping and reaching with an
outstretched hand to break a fall. The wrist injuries that are sustained range from a sprain to a fracture. Colles
fracture of the wrist is the most common injury that may sometimes require surgical correction in a pickleball
injury.
Other areas of the upper extremity that can be injured by way of a fall include the elbow and shoulder
including fracture or tendon tears.
Prevention:
Improve Balance and stamina
Perform this Warmup before you play to prevent pickleball injuries
(click on the name of the exercise to watch a video demonstration)
1. Inch Worm to World’s Greatest Stretch
a. Perform one round of 5 reps on each side
a. Perform one round of 10 reps each leg
a. Perform one round of 10 reps each leg
a. Perform one round of 10 reps each leg
a. Perform one round of 5 reps to the right and left
a. Perform one round of 5 reps forwards and backwards
Want to learn more? Schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our world class coaches to see how you can improve your balance, stamina, and strength to perform your very best on and off the court!