Before you hit the court, learn how you can pickleball-proof your body
Pickleball mania is sweeping across the Lehigh Valley and surrounding regions. Pickleball’s growing popularity has attracted athletes of all ages, and athletes of varied body types and underlying physical conditions. This variability makes injury prevention crucial to keeping players of all age groups on the court and in the game.
Pickleball mania is sweeping across the Lehigh Valley and surrounding regions. Pickleball’s growing popularity has attracted athletes of all ages, and athletes of varied body types and underlying physical conditions. This variability makes injury prevention crucial to keeping players of all age groups on the court and in the game.
It’s estimated there will be 67,000 emergency room visits and 9,000 outpatient surgeries related to pickleball injuries in the U.S. this year. If pickleball is your new sport, you will appreciate the injury-prevention insights from orthopedic surgeon Wayne Luchetti, MD, Associate Chief, Division of Orthopedic Surgery at Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, and physical therapist Michael Price, with Rehabilitation Services–Highland Avenue. Together, Dr. Luchetti and Price have more than 40 years combined experience treating elite athletes, including teams at the region's only Division I schools, Lehigh University and Lafayette College.
“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, but it is certainly not injury-free,” Dr. Luchetti says. “Many players are trying the sport after taking a decade-long hiatus from athletic endeavors, and this amplifies the risk for injuries.” Dr. Luchetti adds that “the most common injuries are those to the lower extremities, including the hips, knees and ankles, as a result of the intense cutting and back-and-forth motions of pickleball.” Given its similarities to tennis, Dr. Luchetti also reports an increase of shoulder and elbow injuries in his office as a direct result of pickleball.
Here’s a breakout of the types of pickleball-related injuries being seen at the Orthopedic Institute:
As a knee specialist, Dr. Luchetti says that the most common pickleball complaints he sees are those of an inflamed knee. “Many older patients playing pickleball for the first time come to the office with inflammation of a previously arthritic knee,” he says. “Many forget that they’ve had a prior issue with their knee.” He also points to an increase in meniscal tears given the cutting and twisting nature of the sport, as well as ligament sprains and occasional tendon tears of the quadriceps or patellar tendon.
Soft tissue injuries in pickleball are nonsurgical issues but very common. These include calf strains, hamstring and quad strains, and hip flexor strains. They commonly occur because pickleball athletes are firing tight muscles they haven’t used in years. One soft tissue injury that needs surgical intervention is that of an Achilles tendon rupture.
The most common injury seen in this area is that of a “high” or “low” ankle sprain as a result of an inversion injury (ankle rolls inward) or eversion injury (ankle rolls outward). These injuries involve tearing or partial tearing of important ligaments surrounding the ankle and are caused by the extreme cutting nature and side-to-side movement required in pickleball. They are typically treated without surgery but can cause lingering pain for weeks.
As in tennis, the repetitive nature of the swing in pickleball can lead to shoulder pain in the form of rotator cuff injuries and elbow pain in the form of lateral epicondylitis, or “tennis elbow.” These two injuries can cause debilitating pain that can be very persistent if a player does not seek the proper care.
Given the extensive twisting and turning required for pickleball play, as well as the requirement to “get low,” low back injuries are quite common in the form of simple lumbar strains, or even a significant flare-up of sciatica.
About half of pickleball-related injuries occur in the first year of play. Older players coming off a long time of inactivity have a higher susceptibility due to injuries from their past, limited range of motion and flexibility, and a deterioration of strength and balance. “People often like to jump into a new activity and forget that their bodies don’t move the same and that their muscles have undergone changes that impact their ability to react and change direction with the same speed and stability,” Price says. They also tend to partake in the new activity without considering what their body may need to recover, which also increases injury risk.
Here are seven tips from Dr. Luchetti and Price to help reduce your risk for pickleball-related injuries:
If an injury occurs, Dr. Luchetti notes that RICE – rest, ice, compression and elevation – are keys to early management, but the importance of getting an early and accurate assessment by a qualified musculoskeletal expert is vital to getting back safely on the court and preventing further injury. Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute strives for ultimate access with same-day appointments and walk-in care at Lehigh Valley Health Network Injury Centers. Most pickleball injuries can be effectively treated without surgery through conservative measures with guidance from an experienced physical therapist.
