Most Common Pickleball Injuries
Pickleball is taking off as one of the most popular sports and hobbies around, especially among adults and seniors! It is a quick and competitive game that offers many physical, cardiovascular, and social benefits. With that being said, it can also lead to injuries in various parts of the body.
Here are 10 most common pickleball injuries, including some signs, symptoms, treatment and when it is best to see a doctor if you suspect you may have one of the following injuries.
Most Common Foot & Ankle Pickleball Injuries
Achilles Tendinopathy
What is it:
An overuse injury that can involve inflammation, degeneration or irritation in the Achilles tendon at the back of your ankle.
Mechanism of Injury:
Repetitive stress from running and jumping, a sudden increase in pickleball or other activity, poor footwear, muscle imbalances, tight calf muscles and a lack of ankle mobility.
Symptoms:
Pain or a decreased range of motion after periods of rest, increased pain during or after pickleball, stiffness in the back your ankle.
Treatment:
Rest, modifying the amount and intensity of pickleball play, ice, physiotherapy, and orthotics can help ease pain.
When to see a doctor:
You suspect there may be a tear in your Achilles tendon, you hear a “pop” while doing activity, you are unable to weight-bear or push off of your foot while walking, you haven’t improved after a few days or after treatment, or if you have any concerns about your injury.
Lateral Ankle Sprain
What is it:
A lateral ankle sprain, also referred to as an inversion ankle sprain is a stretch or tear of the ligaments on the outer ankle. The ligaments most commonly affected are the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL).
Mechanism of Injury:
This can happen when your foot rolls inward, typically during quick changes of direction, sideways motions on the pickleball court, an awkward jump and landing, or stepping on the edge of your partner’s foot.
Symptoms:
Swelling around the ankle, discolouration or bruising, pain, difficulty with movement or weight-bearing.
Treatment:
Besides RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and acute injury management treatment includes ankle bracing or taping, and physiotherapy for strengthening and mobility.
When to see a doctor:
You cannot bear weight, swelling, pain has not gone away after 48-72 hours, ankle looks out of place, severe pain, or you suspect a fracture.
Plantar Fasciitis
What is it:
A common cause of heel pain due to inflammation or small tears in the plantar fascia (a band of tissue along the bottom and arch of your foot).
Mechanism of Injury:
Poor footwear that lacks arch support, overuse (especially of hard pickleball courts), muscle imbalances, tight calf muscles or other biomechanical issues.
Symptoms:
Pain and/or tenderness along the bottom of your heel and arch, sometimes swelling, pain worsens after playing pickleball or on weight-bearing after extended periods of rest or in the morning.
Treatment:
Ice, massage, soft tissue release, physiotherapy, strengthening, arch support/orthotics.
When to see a doctor:
You suspect there may be a tear, you hear a “pop” while doing activity, you are unable to weight-bear or push off of your foot while walking, you have pain at rest or sleeping, you haven’t improved after a few days or after treatment, or if you have any concerns about your injury.
Most Common Elbow Pickleball Injuries
Lateral Epicondylitis (“Pickleball Elbow”)
What is it:
A common injury in pickleball and other paddle/racket sports that causes inflammation or irritation of the tendons that attach to the outer elbow, specifically the extensor carpi radials brevis (ECRB) which helps to extend or straighten your wrist.
Mechanism of Injury:
Repeated wrist extension especially when hitting a lot of backhands, improper grip or having a hard grip on the handle of your paddle, trying to put a spin on the pickleball, other technique or equipment-related factors.
Symptoms:
Decreased grip strength, pain when gripping your paddle and wrist extension movements, pain on backhands or putting spin on pickleball, tender to the touch, radiating pain down your forearm.
Treatment:
Ice, rest, bracing to reduce tendon strain, physiotherapy, and correcting any grip and hitting technique.
When to see a doctor:
Pain has gotten worse, tingling or numbness in your hand, constant pain, not improving after a few days, difficulty moving your elbow, staying up at night due to pain or if you have any concerns about the injury.
Most Common Knee Pickleball Injuries
Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) Flare-Up
What is it:
An increase in pain, stiffness, swelling and aggravation in your knee due to current osteoarthritis (OA) that especially affects the inner or medial part of your knee.
Mechanism of Injury:
A sudden increase in pickleball activity or other sports, activities on hard surfaces such as a pickleball court, weak quads and glute muscles adding strain onto the bones and surrounding tissue.
Symptoms:
Stiffness, pain during or after pickleball, grinding sensation, swelling.
Treatment:
Rest, ice, compression, modified activity, brace, physiotherapy for strengthening exercises. Sometimes specialized injections are needed.
When to see a doctor:
Mobility is severely affected, pain has worsened or not improving, or you are interested in comprehensive or specialized OA treatment options such as injections.
Most Common Leg Pickleball Injuries
Calf Muscle Strain (“Pickleball Pop”)
What is it:
Overstretching or partially tearing one of the 2 calf muscles. The gastrocnemius is the most commonly injured calf muscle, but the soleus can also be vulnerable to this injury.
Mechanism of Injury:
Insufficient warm-up, tight calf muscles, sudden movements such as pushing off or jumping, fatigued calf muscles, and excessive running or jumping.
Symptoms:
Sharp pain in your lower leg, difficulty walking, muscle tightness or cramping, swelling or tenderness around your calf.
Treatment:
Besides RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and acute injury management for the first 48-72 hours, treatment includes calf sleeves, physiotherapy for strengthening and mobility, and advice about return to playing pickleball.
When to see a doctor:
You cannot bear weight, swelling, pain has not gone away after 48-72 hours, severe pain, you suspect a fracture, your pain and swelling is lower down at the Achilles tendon, or if you have any concerns.
Hamstring Strain
What is it:
Overstretching or tearing one or more of the hamstring muscles in the back of your thigh.
Mechanism of Injury:
Inadequate warm-up, poor flexibility, weak gluteal muscles, explosive movements such as a sudden lunge, sprint or jump to hit the pickleball.
Symptoms:
Sharp pain in the back of your thigh, swelling, bruising, muscle weakness, some difficulty while walking or running, may feel tender.
Treatment:
Besides RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and acute injury management for the first 48-72 hours, treatment includes calf sleeves, physiotherapy for strengthening and mobility, and advice about return to playing pickleball. Chiropractic and massage can also be beneficial.
When to see a doctor:
Bruising on the back of the thigh has spread, pain is severe or difficulty walking.
Most Common Shoulder Pickleball Injuries
Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
What is it:
Irritation, inflammation, or micro-tearing of the shoulder tendons in the rotator cuff group (4 muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder). The supraspinatus tendon located towards the top of your shoulder is the most vulnerable to injury due to overuse.
Mechanism of Injury:
Weakness or imbalance of your rotator cuff muscle group, poor posture (rounder shoulders/hunchback), repetitive movements such as serves or overhead pickleball hits and smashes.
Symptoms:
Dull ache or pinching sensation in your shoulder, pain or weakness while doing overhead motions and overhead pickleball hits.
Treatment:
Rest, ice, modified shoulder movements (e.g., avoid overhead positions), physiotherapy for correction of muscle imbalances and other biomechanical issues, strengthening and tips to reduce pain during activity.
When to see a doctor:
Pain has gotten worse, constant pain, not improving after a few days, difficulty moving your shoulder at all, staying up at night due to pain or if you have any concerns about the injury.
Most Common Wrist & Hand Pickleball Injuries
Wrist Sprain or Fracture
What is it:
An overstretched ligament or tendon, or a break in one of your bones near the wrist. The most common bones that can be broken is the scaphoid (small bone located in your wrist) and the distal radius (located towards the base of your thumb at the end of your forearm).
Mechanism of Injury:
A fall forwards, backwards, or sideways onto your hand by using it as an anchor to catch your fall.
Symptoms:
Swelling, pain when moving your wrist, sensitive to the touch, bruising and weakness.
Treatment:
Besides RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and acute injury management for the first 48-72 hours, treatment includes a brace, physiotherapy for strengthening and mobility, and advice about return to playing pickleball. If a broken bone (fracture) is present, then treatment may include a cast or surgery.
When to see a doctor:
Severe pain, pain at rest, swelling does not go down, your wrist looks out of place or there is visible deformity, pain doesn’t improve after 48-27 hours of rest and ice, pain that does not improve with treatment, or if you have any concerns.
Most Common Back Pickleball Injuries
Back Strain
What is it:
The muscles or tendons in your back become stretched or torn. This typically happens in the lower/lumbar region of the back.
Mechanism of Injury:
Reaching for the ball, sudden twists, poor posture or repetitive motions such as bending down to pick up the ball.
Symptoms:
Dull or achy sensations in your lower back, muscle tightness, pain during bending or twisting movements and limited mobility.
Treatment:
Besides acute injury management, treatment includes physiotherapy to strengthening core muscles and improve posture, massage therapy can also be beneficial to reduce tension in the lower back, and chiropractic can also be very beneficial.
When to see a doctor:
Pain becomes severe, tingling or numbness that radiates down your leg, difficulty standing straight or performing simple movements, pain at rest or at night, abdominal pain or urinary symptoms, incontinence, or if you have any concerns.
Do not hesitate to see a expert for your pickleball injury, whether that be a physiotherapist, chiropractor, doctor, bracing specialist, or massage therapist if there is any pain or abnormality during physical activity so we can get you back to doing what you love!
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