Pickleball has gained popularity in the past several years. Many people of all ages are jumping into the sport. At the same time, many healthcare providers are seeing an increase in pickleball injuries. These injuries range from foot/ankle injuries, falls, shoulder injuries, Achilles tendinitis, knee injuries, and elbow injuries. The majority of these injuries happen due to the person not having enough muscle strength/endurance as they push their body to play at a higher athletic level.
To avoid a pickleball injury, you want to warm-up before playing and perform appropriate stretches after playing. You also want to make sure you wear appropriate shoes for the sport. There are several sneaker brands that make shoes specific for pickleball. You also want to make sure you don’t go from living a sedentary lifestyle to immediately jumping into the sport. You want to condition your body for the sport. This is where a physical therapist can help you on your pickleball journey.
A physical therapist can perform a thorough evaluation to determine your baseline level of strength and flexibility. Then, your physical therapist can educate you on specific exercises to start performing so you improve your strength and flexibility to decrease your likelihood of injury on the pickleball court.