How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Pickleball Injuries
Have you been hearing about Pickleball but wonder what the heck it is? Are you looking for a fun activity but worried about aggravating an old injury? You may benefit from a physical therapy assessment at Elder Athlete Physical Therapy to resolve an old injury and get your body ready for the start of Pickleball season!
No matter what your skill level or experience with Pickleball, learning how to prepare your body correctly is the key to enjoying the sport. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, and the game is gaining more and more players every day.
Pickleball is an easy and fun way to stay active. The sport is similar to other racquet sports and is often played on modified tennis courts. It is especially popular with older, retired folks looking to stay active and enjoy the social aspects associated with the game.
Unfortunately, people jump right into the sport without any preparation or training to prepare their bodies for the demands on their muscles, tendons, and joints. At Elder Athlete Physical Therapy, our physical therapists have proven success working with people of all ages to recover from injury and resume whatever sport they enjoy.
Request an appointment with one of our specialists! Let us help you resolve any injury (old and new) and design a program to make sure you minimize the risk of future injuries!
What is Pickleball?
The game was developed in 1965 by a former Washington state congressman, Joel Pritchard. He and a friend were looking to play badminton. Unable to find a complete set of racquets, they improvised, playing with wooden ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. The game is played on a modified tennis court, and the net is similar to tennis.
The premise of the game is similar to other racket sports. A player hits a hard plastic ball with holes over the net with a wooden or composite racket to score points. The racquet is bigger than a ping-pong paddle but smaller than a tennis racquet. The game is called “Pickleball” after the inventor’s dog, Pickles, and is currently the fastest-growing sport in the US.
The most common injuries associated with Pickleball
As with any sport, injuries are part of playing the game of Pickleball. The sport’s popularity has opened it up to people of all ages. The game is easy to play for beginners. It can also meet the requirements of a more competitive player with the possibility of a fast-paced match for singles or doubles. As the popularity grows, so too does the risk of injury.
The sport requires abrupt direction changes and stopping and starting movements, all of which have been linked to non-contact injuries like sprains and strains. There is also the potential for falling and repetitive motion injuries, especially to the upper extremities. Another potential risk of injury stems from the need for more preparation and the age of the deconditioned athletes.
The most common injuries in Pickleball include:
- Ankle sprains
- Achilles tendon injuries and inflammation
- Patella (knee cap) tendinopathies
- Hamstring, adductor (inner thigh), or quadriceps muscle strains
- Shoulder impingements and rotator cuff injuries
- Elbow tendonitis (Tennis elbow)
- Wrist fractures from falls
Fortunately, our Elder Athlete Physical Therapy physical therapists are experts at treating all injuries related to Pickleball and any other sport. We will provide a comprehensive program including the most advanced therapeutic techniques to help you resolve your injury and get back on the court sooner than later!
What to expect at your Elder Athlete Physical Therapy physical therapy sessions
Physical therapy should start immediately following most injuries to ensure the fastest recovery possible. A physical therapist with experience treating sports-related injuries will evaluate the injury’s severity and identify any other factor affecting your ability to recover promptly.
Next, your therapist at Elder Athlete Physical Therapy will create a targeted, individualized treatment plan to promote accelerated recovery. We strive to help you recover and prevent future injuries associated with Pickleball.
For example, your physical therapist will guide you through exercises designed to help the injury and return to your pre-injury abilities. We will start with pain management and restoring mobility to the injured area.
Next, we will focus on progressing your strength, balance, and coordination to ensure you can move and change directions safely and effectively for participation in the game. Our programs are designed to restore function and prevent future injuries.
Our goal is to give you the tools to stay on the court pain-free and injury-free. We will provide an effective warm-up and cool-down program to keep your muscles and joints working correctly. We will also ensure you are educated on increasing your strength and endurance to improve your overall performance on the court and minimize the risk of injury.
Request an appointment today!
At Elder Athlete Physical Therapy, our therapists are experts at treating Pickleball-related injuries. We have proven success with treating athletes of all skill levels and ages.
Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists!