Pickleball Injuries

Do you think about trying Pickleball with your friends but are worried about getting hurt? Has pain or an injury kept you on the sidelines but now you want to do what you can to get active again safely? 

Unfortunately, these changes can lead to trips and falls while playing, resulting in injuries that prevent us from participating. At Gulf Shore Physical Therapy, our physical therapists have proven success working with people of all ages to recover from injury and resume whatever sport they enjoy. We will help you resolve any problem and prepare your body for the demands of pivoting, turning, and chasing down the ball. 

Rehabilitation for pickleball injuries typically involves a combination of rest, targeted exercises, and gradual reintroduction to the sport. Common injuries like strains or sprains may require initial rest followed by physical therapy exercises to improve strength and flexibility. A professional assessment and personalized rehabilitation plan can help tailor the approach based on the specific injury. It’s crucial to follow the guidance of healthcare professionals to ensure a safe and effective recovery.

Have you been experienced any of the following injuries:

• Shoulder pain
• Elbow pain
• Ankle or wrist sprains
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Falls or balance issues

Our physical therapists are movement experts at Gulf Shore Physical Therapy in Sarasota. We are skilled at assessing your physical abilities, providing clear guidance on resolving problems, and preparing your body to tolerate an active lifestyle! 

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, and the game is gaining more and more players daily. It is especially popular with older, retired folks looking to stay active and enjoy the social aspects associated with the game.

Too often, people jump right in, forgetting their bodies don’t move quite the same as they did just a few years ago. Our muscles undergo a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength as we get older. These muscle changes also impact our ability to react and change directions with the same speed and stability. 

Unfortunately, these changes can lead to trips and falls while playing, resulting in injuries that prevent us from participating. At Gulf Shore Physical Therapy, our physical therapists have proven success working with people of all ages to recover from injury and resume whatever sport they enjoy. We will help you resolve any problem and prepare your body for the demands of pivoting, turning, and chasing down the ball.

Call today to request an appointment with one of our specialists!

How balance and coordination affect your risk of injury 

Falling while playing Pickleball is a fairly common event. Typically, someone loses balance and trips while trying to get to a ball just outside their reach. For some, it is trying to backpedal to reach an overhead ball, while others try changing directions to get that backhand shot.

Two of the most common injuries associated with Pickleball are a fractured wrist and a torn rotator cuff muscle. Both injuries occur from falling on an outstretched arm/hand. As we get older, our bodies cannot react the same as when we are younger, and we cannot tolerate the impact either. 

Fortunately, it is possible to improve our body’s ability to react and tolerate the demands of Pickleball. Our team will identify the factors that may contribute to coordination and balance impairments and give you the tools to improve your abilities. 

Coordination is defined as the ability to execute smooth, accurate, controlled responses through optimal interaction of muscles. One of the most critical aspects of coordination is selecting the right muscle at the right time with the proper intensity to achieve the appropriate action.

Our team can work with you to train your muscles to contract with appropriate speed, distance, direction, and timing. When we get multiple muscles working coordinated, we can perform the desired activity.

As we age, we all suffer from a loss of muscle mass. This significantly affects function in all activities, contributing to a reduction in balance, reduced gait speed, and increased risk of falls. Fortunately, you can improve your dynamic stability through proper balance training drills.

Our therapists will design exercises that strengthen your muscles and improve your coordination and neuromuscular control so you can safely participate in Pickleball and any other activity! 

What to expect during your physical therapy visits

Our physical therapists help in a variety of ways. We will start with an injury evaluation and a movement assessment to identify all the factors contributing to any limitation affecting your function. 

Our assessments will also include a thorough history to understand past injuries and your overall health status. We will use this information to develop a comprehensive program that provides targeted manual techniques, mobility work, strengthening, and any appropriate pain relief technique for the individual.  

Rehabilitation for pickleball injuries typically involves a combination of:

• Rest
• Targeted exercises
• Gradual reintroduction to the sport

Common injuries like strains or sprains may require initial rest followed by physical therapy exercises to improve strength and flexibility. A professional assessment and personalized rehabilitation plan can help tailor the approach based on the specific injury. It’s crucial to follow the guidance of healthcare professionals to ensure a safe and effective recovery.

Our physical therapy team may also conduct a detailed balance assessment. Our assessment will test the following systems:

• Somatosensory system (i.e., neural structures that detect touch, temperature, body position, and pain)
• The vestibular system (sensory system responsible for providing information about motion, head position, and spatial orientation)
• Musculoskeletal systems (i.e., strength, range of motion, joint health, etc.)

Your physical therapist will use this information to incorporate balance and coordination treatments to return to sport/activity safely. Our goal is to ensure you can safely participate in the activities you love!

Pickleball performance training

Pickleball performance training focuses on enhancing skills, agility, and overall fitness to improve on-court performance. It often includes a mix of cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, agility drills, and sport-specific skill practice. Workouts may target areas like core strength, lateral movements, and quick reflexes crucial for pickleball.

Additionally, incorporating drills that simulate game scenarios helps players sharpen their strategies and decision-making. Consistent training, both on and off the court, is key to optimizing pickleball performance.

Request an appointment at Gulf Shore Physical Therapy today!

Our therapists have proven successful in helping athletes recover and prepare for the sports they love.  

Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists so we can make sure you are playing Pickleball at your peak abilities!