There has been fair concern in North Vancouver about the number of tennis courts decreasing but thankfully, the number of Pickleball courts is increasing.  Pickleball has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the US and might just be a combination of Tennis, Badminton, and table tennis. As with any sport, it carries risks such as injuries. Let’s dive into common pickleball injuries and how physiotherapy helps you continue to enjoy pickleball, keep fit, and increase your fun.

Common Pickleball Injuries

Shoulder Injuries

Rotator Cuff Tendinopathies and Tears: Overhead repetitive movements like serves or smashes can overstrain shoulder muscles and tendons leading to inflammation or even tears.

Elbow Injuries

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): This results from the repeated use of forearm muscles that cause pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow.

Wrist Injuries

Wrist Strains and Sprains: Acute or repetitive wrist movements might result in strains or sprains causing pain as well as reduced range of motion.

Knee Injuries

Patellar Tendinitis: The patellar tendon connecting knee cap to shinbone may strain owing to frequent jumping or sudden changes in direction resulting into swelling and painfulness.

Ankle Injuries

Ankle Sprains: Quick lateral movements such as abrupt stopping leads to rolled ankles therefore causing ligament sprains.

Lower Back Pain

Muscle Strains: Twisting motions along with bending down to pick up ball can result in lower back discomfort by straining these muscles till they are injured through exertion, which becomes painful for an individual later on.

See our next blog here to find out how Physio can help prevent Pickleball injuries, and have more fun playing!