Treating Pickleball Injuries at Arbeau Sports Medicine: A Physiotherapist’s Perspective Brady Allen, PT, MScPT, BA (Hons.) Physical Demands of Pickleball The game of pickleball demands a combination of balance, hand-eye coordination, motor control, power and strength. Athletes need to be able to perform a variety of movements, including; lunging, twisting, bounding, and reaching overhead to name a handful. These movements can place stress on joints, muscles, and tendons. Those who have not played the sport before or those who are returning to exercise after an extended time of relative inactivity are more likely to put excessive forces on their bodies. Like any other sport, if the physical demands of the activity are higher than the participant’s physical capacity, injuries can occur. Common Injuries and How Physiotherapy Can Help As a physiotherapist, there are trends to pickleball injuries. Lateral epicondylitis or “pickleball/tennis elbow” generally occurs due to high volume of wrist movement and repetitive gripping without an adequate amount of arm strength. Rotator cuff strains generally occur during overhead smashes and reaching without the required amount of shoulder stability and control. Ankle sprains and meniscus injuries generally occur during stepping, lateral lunging or twisting movements that our bodies have a hard time adapting to. A physiotherapist plays an instrumental role in the prevention, management, and eventual return to pickleball following an injury. A proper physiotherapy assessment assesses not only the injured body part, but how the joints, muscles and tendons function around it to allow the whole body to move. This is especially important in the context of pickleball, where even a simple forehand smash requires nearly every part of your body. Treatment of injuries may include hands-on therapy, individualized therapeutic exercises, and advice on pacing and progression. Most importantly, a physiotherapy assessment should be individualized and tailored to each athlete to facilitate a speedy, yet safe return to pickleball. Tips and Tricks for Minimizing Injury Risk in Pickleball Prevention of injuries begins long before an athlete steps on the court. Having a diverse off-court exercise regimen, including cardiovascular exercises, strength exercises and balance and coordination, is vital for the prevention of on-court injuries. Upon arriving at the court, a quick dynamic warm-up is the most effective way to raise your heart rate slowly, along with priming muscles for activity. It could be as simple as some walking
lunges, squats and upper-body mobility drills. Most importantly, whether you’re just getting into the sport or have played for years, listen to your body for aches and pains and start slowly.
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Lambeth Villager • Jan-Feb 2026 • Page 7
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