Common Pickleball Injuries
Also known as: pickleball injuries, pickleball injury prevention, how to avoid injury in pickleball, pickleball safety, is pickleball safe, pickleball achilles, pickleball falls
Pickleball injuries range from overuse problems like elbow and shoulder pain to sprains, calf strains and fractures from falls. General prevention includes a warm-up, court shoes, sound technique and building playing time gradually. Stop if something hurts, and see a qualified medical professional for pain that persists.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes a range of pickleball injuries. They run from overuse problems like "pickleball elbow" to fractures from falls. Overuse injuries build up over time, such as elbow pain from many volleys or a sore shoulder from overheads. Acute injuries happen at once. Examples include ankle sprains, calf and Achilles strains and injuries from falling.
Common contributing factors include skipping the warm-up, long sessions after time off, worn or unsuitable shoes and poor technique. Backpedaling for lobs can lead to backward falls. Sudden pushes off the back foot load the calf and Achilles. Wristy swings and a tight grip load the forearm.
Simple habits help. Warm up with light movement and stretches, then easy hitting, before full play. Wear shoes made for pickleball or tennis for support and traction. Lessons can teach efficient strokes and safe footwork. Stay hydrated. Build up playing time gradually, and play shorter sessions if your knees swell. Stop if something hurts, and see a qualified medical professional for pain that persists or after a hard fall.
Tips by skill level
Spend a few minutes on light movement and easy dinks before you play points. Wear court shoes, not running shoes.
Track how much you play each week and raise it gradually. Add strength work for the calves, hips and forearms on off days.
Example
After a winter off, a player jumps back into three hours of open play and wakes up with a sore calf. Next time she warms up first and plays shorter sessions for a few weeks.
Why it matters
Simple habits can lower the risk of common pickleball injuries. Staying healthy keeps you on the court and improving.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the warm-up and going straight into hard play
- Backpedaling to chase lobs
- Wearing running shoes with little side support on court
- Playing through pain instead of stopping
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common pickleball injuries?
They range from overuse injuries like pickleball elbow and shoulder pain to ankle sprains, calf and Achilles strains and fractures from falls. See a qualified medical professional for pain that persists.
How can I avoid getting hurt playing pickleball?
Warm up first, wear court shoes, take lessons on technique, stay hydrated and build playing time gradually. Turn and run for lobs instead of backpedaling. Stop if something hurts.
Do I need special shoes for pickleball?
Court shoes made for pickleball or tennis are a good choice. They give the side support and traction that quick lateral moves need. Running shoes are built mainly for moving forward.
Sources
Related terms
- Pickleball ElbowPickleball elbow is the name players give to pain on the outside of the elbow, the same overuse problem as tennis elbow. It is often linked to long dink and reset rallies with a tight grip, wrist-led punch volleys and flicks, and a sudden jump from occasional games to daily play. Stop if it hurts, and see a qualified medical professional if the pain persists.
- Lob Defense (Pickleball)To chase down a lob, turn and run back at an angle with crossover steps instead of backpedaling. Backpedaling is slow and risks a backward fall. Track the ball over your shoulder and let it bounce if you can't set up an overhead. Then reply with a lob or a drop.
- Split StepA split step is a small, timed hop made just as the opponent contacts the ball. It loads both feet at once and allows instant movement in any direction.
- Push-OffA push-off is the explosive first step that follows a split step — loading one foot to drive laterally or forward toward the ball with maximum acceleration from a ready position.
- Crossover StepA crossover step is a running movement where one foot crosses in front of the other to cover wide balls quickly, sacrificing momentary net-facing to reach balls the shuffle step cannot.
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