Preventing injuries when playing pickleball

According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, the largest age demographic of pickleball players is 65 and older, generally, is assumed the sport is a lower-impact sport with a slower pace than Tennis and other paddle/racket sports.

However, it is important to always keep in mind, especially on the court, that injuries from playing pickleball do happen, as many of us have seen and experienced firsthand.

The game is growing in popularity across the country and around the world and played at any age and skill level, in fact, the 35 to 44 age group is close behind in the sport, making pickleball much faster and more competitive.

According to Dr. Sani Kakar, hand and wrist surgeon at the Mayo Clinic, there are four rules that players should remember to avoid injury: 

1. "You have to have proper stretching. When we get on the pickleball court, we think it's a smaller court. It's a slower sport. We don't have to stretch. And forget about hand and wrist injuries, we see so many Achilles tendon injuries," says Dr. Kakar. "Proper stretching starts from the feet up. And that includes the lower extremities, the back, the neck and the upper extremities." 

2. "You have to practice with a purpose. Rather than spending an hour on the court with repetitive, repetitive, repetitive — that leads to chronic injuries, chronic use, chronic overuse." 

3. "You have to have proper equipment. Do they have the appropriate paddle? Is the grip thick enough? As we get older, for example, when we pinch, that puts further areas of stress on the hand. And, so, when you're squeezing so hard, it can lead to increased pressure on the wrist." 

4. "And finally, and probably most importantly, is proper mechanics because the ball doesn't bounce as high, when they're actually going for the ball. The motion is actually more violent than, I would say, tennis."

Pickleball takes a lot from us, so we must be aware of our limits. It is important to stay hydrated and replenish those electrolytes. If you are in the middle of a game and begin to feel woozy, tell the team that you need a short break and get hydrated.

Most of us live in retirement communities or HOA condos, we are not professionals or compete in league tournaments, we play to have fun and socialize with our friends and neighbors, some play music and even do a pickleball jiggle on the court, so if we can't reach the ball, let it go, many of us have had serious injuries chasing after that little ball.