What is the No. 1 injury in pickleball and how do I avoid it?
- Noe Sariban
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
As with every sport, injuries are a part of the game we love. There are a few factors that place pickleball players at risk for injuries. Recent articles have highlighted a rise in injuries caused by pickleball, which may lead readers to think it has higher rates of injury than other sports. This, of course, is not accurate.
As participation in pickleball has skyrocketed in the past five years, it’s only logical to witness an increase in injury numbers due to the sheer amount of play. In addition, while the demographic is getting younger, the average age of pickleball players is still higher than most other sports.
When you combine the rise in number of players with the average age, the result is an increase in pickleball-related injuries. This, however, does not mean pickleball has more risk than other racket sports.
So, what is the No. 1 pickleball injury? This is a difficult question to answer directly, since there are many factors that come into play. There are acute injuries and chronic problems that can’t be viewed the same way. Acute injuries usually happen on the court while playing, and chronic injuries develop over time due to repetitive movements.
The category that leads the acute injuries would be sprains and strains. This applies to various injuries and body parts. Sprains are injuries to non-contractile tissues, such as ligaments, while strains are injuries to contractile tissues such as muscles and tendons.
There are various reasons and mechanisms of injury for sprains and strains, but some of the common notable ones are:
Ankle sprains
Calf muscle and hamstring strains
Wrist sprains (from falling on an outstretched hand)
Lower back muscle strains and joint sprains
For chronic injuries, some of the known pathologies are pickleball elbow (lateral epicondylitis or epicondylosis), Achilles tendinopathy, and rotator cuff tendinopathies.
So, what can be done?
The first important step is to recognize that we are playing a sport and, unlike playing a board game for example, injuries are part of the risk we take when stepping onto the court. Even the best-prepared and conditioned athletes get injured, so there is never a 100% bulletproof injury-prevention method.
However, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of injury, and promote longevity when playing pickleball.
Footwear: This seems simple, but having improper shoes can easily lead to falls, which is the main reason for sprained wrists. Be sure to find a “hard court” shoe that fits you properly.
Warming up: Too many people neglect this step. Properly warming up means that you have brought your body temperature up and established an environment for your muscles to perform without being overstretched. This step should decrease the risk of muscle strains during play. Performing a dynamic warm-up is key so your muscles are ready for movement. If you are unsure how to warm up, check out “The Pickleball Doctor Dynamic Warm-Up” on YouTube.
Off-court training: Just like any sport, it’s the work away from the sport that helps the body prepare for the activity. In order to decrease your injury risk, it’s ideal to perform mobility, flexibility, strength, agility, and power development exercises off the court. This can be done at any level, and does not have to be reserved for elite athletes. Having a regular workout routine can help build and maintain muscle mass, while working on your balance and coordination to perform better on the court and reduce injuries due to poor movement. If you’re unsure where to start, you can check out train100.fit—a program I designed for pickleball players. •
Noe Sariban is a doctor of physical therapy and works with pickleball’s No. 1 player in the world, Ben Johns. He is also a founding member of Train100, an online fitness training company geared toward pickleball players. If you’d like to learn more, email Dr. Noe at thepickleballdoctor@gmail.com. The Pickleball Doctor teaches pickleball camps all over the U.S. and internationally, and incorporates his knowledge and background as a doctor of physical therapy into his expert coaching.