How to play pickleball properly to avoid injury?

Pickleball is a popular sport but has many potential risks of injury - Illustration: TTO

Pickleball player numbers are growing rapidly, leading to increased injuries.

According to statistics from the US Pickleball Federation, the number of pickleball players in this country has increased rapidly, from 4.8 million people in 2021 and has increased to 13.6 million by the end of 2023.

With the rapid increase in the number of pickleball players, the number of injuries, especially broken bones due to falls while playing pickleball, has also increased significantly.

In our country, recently, pickleball has created a strong craze in the sports community, especially attracting many women.

There have been many cases of injuries while playing this sport. The most recent was a model (30 years old) who broke the middle third of the left femur. Surgery on the patient was difficult because the patient was 1.78m tall, the fracture line ran down the left femur. Doctors estimated that it would take this person 6 months to recover.

Other cases also suffered injuries while playing pickleball such as: an actress with a sprain and effusion of the ankle, having to use a wheelchair; a 45-year-old man with a ruptured left supraspinatus tendon, having to have rotator cuff surgery and being transferred to rehabilitation to practice improving shoulder joint movement after surgery...

Play Pickleball Correctly to Avoid Injuries

Doctors and sports medicine experts have repeatedly warned about this sport and recommended that players should learn carefully and be trained, and should not play according to trends or movements because they can suffer from sports injuries, which will seriously affect health and require a long time to treat.

Dr. Ngo Thanh Y - Deputy Head of the Department of On-Demand Treatment - Sports Medicine, People's Hospital 115 (HCMC) said that pickleball is a sport that is becoming increasingly popular because it is quite easy to play, suitable for all ages from children to the elderly.

This makes many people subjective, not warming up properly or not familiar with the movements, choosing inappropriate tools leading to the risk of injury.

To reduce the risk of injury, Italian doctors advise players to spend 10-15 minutes warming up before playing to stretch and rotate the ankles, knees, hips, and wrists, helping the body prepare and reduce the risk of muscle strain. In addition, the following requirements are required:

Choose the right shoes : Shoes need to have good grip and ankle support to avoid slipping. If the shoes are worn, replace them with new ones to better protect your feet.

Use the right racket: Beginners should choose a light racket (170-210g) to avoid wrist pain. A medium racket (210-240g) is suitable for most players. A heavier racket (over 240g) helps hit the ball hard but can tire the hand.

The handle should fit your hand to avoid wrist pain during long playing sessions.

Pickleball players also need to learn proper technique when bending to receive the ball (keep your back straight, using your legs as support instead of just your back), when taking long strides (keep your knees from going past your toes to avoid joint pain), and when hitting the ball (use force from your whole body, not just your wrists or elbows).

Move flexibly, avoid standing still : Always keep your body ready, move gently to receive the ball instead of waiting for the ball to come and then react slowly.

Doctor Thanh Y advised players not to overplay, especially beginners who need to gradually increase the intensity of play and rest between sets to avoid fatigue. At the same time, they need to practice more to increase the strength of their legs, back and shoulders to help the body endure better when playing.

If you feel the match is too intense, you can choose to play doubles to reduce the pressure of movement and avoid the risk of injury.

Why is pickleball prone to injury?

According to Dr. Thanh Y, there are some characteristics of pickleball that make players susceptible to pain or accidents such as: small court, constant movement; low ball flight; quick reactions, little rest time; collisions when playing doubles, habit of standing still waiting for the ball.

Older adults are at higher risk because they often have weak bones and poor balance, so they are at higher risk of falling or serious injury.

Common injuries when playing pickleball: sprains, strains, tendonitis, joint pain, lower back pain, falls or collisions causing swelling, and possible dislocations or fractures if the fall is severe.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/choi-pickleball-nhu-the-nao-cho-dung-cach-tranh-bi-chan-thuong-20250406071757915.htm