Uncommon Athletes: Pickleball – it’s all the rage!

Pickleball – yes, that racket game with a strange name – has been the fastest growing sport in the United States and Canada for several decades and is now growing in popularity worldwide. It was developed in the mid-60s by a congressman and his friend, a businessman from Bainbridge Island, Washington.

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What exactly is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a hybrid sport with elements from badminton, ping-pong and tennis. It can be played indoors and outdoors. All that is needed is a flat surface, a modified tennis net, a paddle and a plastic ball with holes. No pickles, please.

The game promotes agility, balance, conditioning, and a great cardio workout. Pickleball can be enjoyed by all ages and all skill levels. You can play with two players or four – much like tennis singles or doubles, but on a much smaller court. You can fit four pickleball courts on one tennis court.

You may be asking, how did this sport get its name? According to legend, the creators of the game named it after their dog “Pickle,” who would snatch the ball while family members were playing and run away with it.

Preventing Injuries

Like most sports, knowing how to prevent injuries is important. USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the sport of pickleball in the United States, recommends these pre-game activities: 

  • Warming up – Spend about five minutes loosening up by walking, riding a bike or stepping on treadmill.

  • Stretching – Stretch these muscles and joints: ankles, Achilles tendon, calf muscle, quadriceps (front of upper leg), hamstrings (back of upper leg), groin, low back, shoulder and arms. Start with the ankle stretch and work up toward the shoulder/neck area. For each muscle group, place that group “on stretch,” the point which you feel the stretch, and hold it for 10-15 seconds. Relax and repeat 3-5 times.

  • Selecting proper shoes – Your shoes should be comfortable, but most importantly, you need a good sports shoe that will support the quick, side-to-side action required for pickleball.

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According to USA Pickleball, the most common pickleball injuries include the following:

  • Ankle sprain: A sprain involving a ligament and most commonly occurring on uneven terrain, stepping on a stray ball or another player’s foot. The pain is usually felt on the outside of the ankle and there may or may not be immediate swelling. Swelling is not a sign of severity.

  • Achilles tendon strain: (back of the ankle) This involves a tendon or muscle group; the most common cause is a stop-and-go action or a sudden change of direction. This injury is very common in people over age 40. There is a sudden snapping feeling or a pain like being hit in the back of the leg. A rupture is obvious. There will be an indentation in the Achilles tendon area. The person cannot walk and needs immediate attention.

  • Heel bruise: Pain occurs on the bottom of the heel with every step. This is considered an overuse injury and usually occurs over a period of time. The best treatment is rest and using a heel cup or donut during play.

  • Knee sprain: A sprain can occur by a twisting or rotation of the knee. The most common is a medial collateral sprain and the pain is on the inside of the knee, just to the side of the knee cap.

  • Hamstring, groin or quad strain: The most common of these is a hamstring strain, generally caused by overextending or reaching to return a ball. The most serious will show a sign of an indentation where the tear occurred.

  • Wrist fracture: The most common cause is going backward for a ball, falling and landing on an extended arm. Learning to roll out of a fall and not extending your arm to land can help avoid this injury.

  • Shoulder strain: This is often caused by overuse, too many overheads, playing too long, etc. It can also occur on a single overhead smash in which the rotator cuff muscles (top of the shoulder) are strained.

 Which treatment is right for you?

USA Pickleball makes these recommendations:

  • Ice Therapy: There is a misconception that you use heat for strains and ice for sprains. Not true! Use ice for immediate treatment of injuries. Ice, compression and elevation should be used first for all injuries. Apply ice for a minimum of 15 minutes or until numb. Remove until the feeling is back and then replace the ice. Remember: ice, compression and elevation for a period of 24-72 hours.

  • Heat: Heat should never be applied immediately to an injury (sprains or strains). It should only be applied after 24-72 hours.

  • Professional care: It is always best to seek the advice of a physician for any injury, especially for fractures, head injuries, eye injuries, third-degree sprains and strains, etc. Call 911 for any serious injury.

For non-emergency injuries, sprains, or fractures while playing pickleball or any other sport, come to OrthoArkansas’ Urgent Care Clinic. No appointment is necessary. We’re open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays, at our Midtown Little Rock location, 800 Fair Park Blvd.

Looking for a place to play pickleball? There are numerous pickleball courts in Arkansas. You can find a place to play here.

Traci Byrd