The well-known “pock,” caused by the whiffle ball striking the paddle, can be heard all over the country. According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, more than 36.5 million people played pickleball in the previous year.
Regrettably, there is still another echoing pattern. There are more pickleball-related mishaps coming in. According to Ben Buchanan, his DPT at Body Remedy Central in Oklahoma City, an article on injury epidemiology will be published in 2021. Pickleball injuries for people over 60 were comparable to tennis accidents by 2018. According to suppliers, as pickleball has become more popular, the number of incidents they are treating has increased.
Games with silly names could come off as innocent. Yet, CJ Johnson, a private coach, pickleball coach, and co-founder of his online coaching platform, We Are Pickleball, claims that both overuse and severe accidents are all too often. While overuse accidents get worse over time, acute accidents frequently result with a fall or trip. The most vulnerable players are those who shift from not playing to playing a couple of days a week. Knowing how to be safe from each can make it easier for you whether you’re in the court or outside of the clinic.
The best approach to prevent frequent pickleball overuse injuries
“There are a variety of factors that make players more prone to overuse injuries. The main one is not warming up. The majority of the time, players grab the paddle, bounce onto the court, and start having fun “As Johnson said. improve. When players stretch before and after playing, they are far less likely to get hurt.
Carmen Van Rensberg, a senior business marketing consultant and exercise physiologist, advises warming up for 5 to 10 minutes before entering the courtroom. Consider doing a light jog to get your circulation flowing and stretch the major muscle groups you use, including your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thighs, hips, shoulders, elbows, and wrists.
Following a workout, Van Rensberg advises, “do not forget to relax with a few minutes of strolling and stretching.” She also advises drinking a lot of water, stopping frequently, taking it slow, and refueling with healthy snacks before and after.
Pickleball Elbow
Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, which involves irritation of one or both tendons near to the elbow, is the most common overuse injury to the upper body. According to Buchanan, it could potentially cause, and in some cases already has caused, microtears in the tendon.
Johnson suggests the following simple stretch to keep your elbow secure: Make a fist with one arm out in front of you at shoulder height and parallel to the ground. Pull your fist slowly toward the bottom with your other hand, keeping your arm at shoulder height. Then, with the other hand, gently draw the fingers back down until they are all pointing upward (ask someone to stop).
Buchanan also suggests including wrist curls to fortify tendons and prevent further incidents. To elevate the bottle and gradually lower it, use your wrist. Repeat while bending your hands downward.
Knee Pressure
According to Buchanan, pickleball pivots can injure the menisci and knee ligaments or simply cause the joint to deteriorate. Stretch one leg out in front of you while sitting in a chair with your toes flat on the floor. After a brief pause, go back to where you started. Alternate the legs.
Plantar Fasciitis
The inflammation of the tissue that links the bones of the foot, known as plantar fasciitis, is the most common lower body injury. The most common surface on pickleball courts, the asphalt floor, is harsh on the body, according to Johnson. “Players should wear decent shoes that are specifically made for lateral motion, similar to court footwear,” said one expert. You can relax as a result.
After playing a sport, if the bottom of your foot hurts, stretch, sit down, and lift the affected leg. Remove your shoes, add ice, activate for five minutes, then deactivate for five minutes before cooling for 20. Even carrying compression leg wraps or sleeves can help.
Achilles Tendonitis
The Achilles tendon at the back of your calf can get worse from movements with a high impact, like leaping on the court. Before and after games, calf raises are performed to prevent injuries, build muscle, and recover from stress. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, slowly bring him down for two to three seconds. Repeat between ten and fifteen times.
Shoulder Damage
According to Buchanan, reaching overhead to strike the ball might aggravate shoulder muscle groups like the rotator cuff, which could lead to injury and tendinitis. He advises performing the “doorway stretch” several times each day: Place your arms on either side of your body while you stand in an open doorway. Leaning forward until you feel a tiny stretch, keep your palms at shoulder height or below. Hold for 10 seconds.
How to prevent the most common severe pickleball injuries
Waterfall
The most frequent cause of injury Johnson observes is a fall that occurs when a player hits backwards and returns a lob (when the ball impacts the player’s head). An athlete’s racket If he has little experience at the game (as do many of his pickleball opponents), he won’t know how to turn back safely to recover a shot. They employ a “backpedal” rather than twisting the body to be perpendicular to the web and moving solidly to the shot with lateral motion. It is easy to grab your heels and walk over them with your head through the ball up. She says, “This frequently results in wrist and brain injuries.”
By learning the footwork maneuver Johnson refers to as “opening the door,” this might be prevented. When a lob is hit above, the first thing you should do is activate one foot and turn your body so that it is perpendicular to the net.
Slip and Collision
Sand or wet courts can produce slick surfaces that could make players unsteady. Shoes with loose laces are dangerous both inside and outside the courts. Before starting each level, clear the court of all debris and dropped balls.
Doubles players face the additional challenge of collaborating with a partner. When changing positions to chase the ball, always keep an eye on your partner and communicate your intentions. Scream “Swap” or “I got it!” It is possible to avoid midway collisions (and permit for smoother play).
Ankle Sprain
According to Buchanan, stop and start, quick pivots and brief runs might cause ankle sprains. is extremely useful. He writes the letters of the alphabet in the air using his toes as pencils.
For minor sprains or muscular strains, Buchanan recommends RICE. Relax and tense the problematic area, wrap it in an elastic bandage to reduce swelling, and elevate the ankle to prevent further swelling. You should seek treatment if the pain lasts more than a few days because you don’t want to be immobile for an extended period of time, he says.
Buchanan additionally emphasizes the significance of correct footwear.
