Joints are most affected when playing pickleball

MSc.BS.CKII Tran Anh Vu, Head of the Department of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said playing pickleball is equivalent to a medium-intensity aerobic exercise, which improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, supports weight loss and is good for mental health. However, due to the short movements and quick changes of direction, this sport can overload the joints and lead to injury. Many people play this sport but are not fully equipped with physical and technical knowledge, which increases the risk of joint injuries.

Knee joint is the area that experiences the most stress because playing pickleball requires short steps, changes of direction, and sudden stops. This type of exercise strengthens the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, helps stabilize the knee, and improves range of motion and flexibility of the knee joint. However, because the nature of this sport requires a lot of jumping or kneeling, it can easily cause patellar tendonitis or degenerative knee pain in middle-aged people. Players are also at risk of ligament injury due to sudden changes in direction of movement.

To prevent these injuries, Dr. Vu advises players to practice additional exercises to strengthen the muscle groups around the knee, use shoes with good grip, and avoid courts that are too slippery or too hard.

Ankle joint bear significant force when moving sideways and turning. When played properly for long periods of time, pickleball helps strengthen the ankle muscles and improve balance. If you land incorrectly or change direction quickly, it can lead to a sprain. Continuously accelerating to catch the ball can damage the Achilles tendon, causing a lot of pain. Warming up your ankles thoroughly before starting and practicing balancing on each leg are ways to help practice and prevent injuries to this joint when playing pickleball.

Hip joint Participate a lot in rotation activities and create power for the shot, thereby strengthening the glutes and hip muscles, supporting the lumbar spine, and improving flexibility and hip rotation range. However, pickleball players are at risk of straining the buttocks or hamstrings when stretching or leaning, causing hip pain in people with pre-existing osteoarthritis. Dr. Vu said these injuries can be prevented by performing hip stretching exercises and strengthening the buttocks before playing.

Shoulder joint Being active almost continuously when playing pickleball, the deltoid and shoulder rotator muscles are trained a lot, strengthening and improving flexibility. However, repeated swings of the racket can lead to rotator cuff tendonitis and biceps tendonitis. When swinging the racket over the head without proper technique, players can suffer from acromion impingement syndrome, causing friction between the rotator cuff tendons and the humerus, causing pain and limited movement. To prevent this, players should exercise their shoulder rotation muscles and avoid hitting the ball too high continuously.

Wrist joint Perform quick rotation, folding, and stretching movements to create force and direction of the ball, thereby increasing flexibility and wrist muscle strength. Players may encounter a number of injuries such as flexor or extensor tendonitis of the wrist, wrist pain due to the racket being too heavy or gripping too tightly. According to Dr. Vu, injuries in this position can be prevented by relaxing the wrist and choosing a racket with a light weight and suitable size.

Doctor Vu said that on average each week, Tam Anh General Hospital receives about 50 cases of injury due to playing pickleball, most of which are treated with same-day discharge procedures such as joint injections, fluid aspiration, dislocation correction… A few have to be hospitalized for surgery due to serious injuries.

To prevent injuries, Dr. Vu recommends that players learn basic techniques from coaches instead of playing instinctively. Before going into the match, you should warm up thoroughly, especially your knees, ankles and shoulders. Practice additional exercises to strengthen your leg, hip, and shoulder muscles. Do not play too hard, especially for people over 40 years old or with bone and joint diseases. Rest when you feel tired. Go to the doctor immediately when unusual signs appear for timely and effective treatment.