3 of the Most Common Pickleball Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Pickleball is a growing sport that has quickly become popular around the world. With its simple rules and easy-to-learn mechanics, it’s no wonder the game is gaining in popularity. As with every sports activity, there’s a risk of injury associated with playing the game, although for pickleball it’s typically a slight risk.
Therefore, it’s crucial to be aware of these risks and learn how to minimize them when you’re playing the sport. Taking a few precautions and investing in a high-quality pickleball paddle can greatly reduce your risk of injury.
Here are a few common pickleball injuries and how you can prevent them:
1. Wrist Injuries
A wrist injury is one of the most common ones. The main causes of a wrist injury while playing pickleball are improper grip, incorrect hitting technique, and sometimes even not having the right pickleball paddle.
HUDEF pickleball paddles have comfortable cushioned grips that make them easy to use and help prevent wrist pain from impacting your game. Using the appropriate grip for each shot is another way to avoid developing a wrist injury.
2. Pickleball Elbow
In pickleball, as with tennis elbow, over time, repeated hits to the arm cause the muscles in the arm and forearm to become fatigued and inflamed. This can lead to overuse injuries, such as pickleball elbow, which occur when the tendons become inflamed and painful due to repetitive stress.
To prevent this injury, take some time off in between games to give your arm a rest, and avoid overdoing it during a game. You can also wear a compression sleeve or brace during the game to help reduce the stress on the muscles and reduce your risk of an elbow injury.
3. Rotator Cuff Injuries
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that connect the bone of the upper arm to the shoulder blade and provide stability and movement to the shoulder joint. Overuse of the rotator cuff muscles can lead to wear and tear and eventual damage to the tendons themselves. Rotator cuff injuries are very common among athletes, and can be painful and difficult to treat.
Just as with any other racket-based sport, to prevent shoulder injuries, it’s important to take breaks between games to give your muscles time to rest. Moreover, you should also warm up and stretch your muscles before playing, which will reduce the likelihood of an injury. Wearing a compression sleeve can also help protect your shoulders while you are playing, preventing further damage.
Now that you know how to prevent common pickleball injuries, are you ready to start playing pickleball? If so, you’re going to need a high-quality pickleball paddle, pickleball apparel, a bag, and other necessary pickleball gear. HUDEF is a great place to start. Check out our collection of pickleball paddles and accessories.
Start shopping for your gear today.