Avoiding the "Dink" of Injury: Common Pickleball Pitfalls and How to Recover
Pickleball has officially taken over Scarborough! It is fast, social, incredibly fun, and a fantastic way to stay active. But because it feels more accessible than tennis, many players jump onto the court without realizing how demanding the sudden shifting, twisting, and lunging can be on the body.
Before you know it, an afternoon at the court turns into a morning of morning-after stiffness—or worse, an acute injury.
Whether you are a seasoned "dinker" or just picking up a paddle, here are the most common pickleball injuries we see, and how we can get you back in the kitchen (the court kitchen, that is!) safely.
The Big 4: Common Pickleball Injuries
1. "Pickleball Elbow" (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Just like tennis elbow, this is an overuse injury caused by repetitive swinging and a tight grip on the paddle. If your forearm muscles are weak or your backhand technique relies too much on flicking your wrist, the tendons in your outer elbow become inflamed and painful.
2. Achilles Tendonitis & Calf Strains
Pickleball requires constant rapid acceleration, sudden stops, and lateral shuffling. If your lower leg muscles are tight or unconditioned, this explosive movement can strain the calf muscles or cause microscopic tears in the Achilles tendon, leading to persistent heel and leg pain.
3. Rotator Cuff Strain
While pickleball uses an underhand serve, tracking down overhead volleys and executing quick react-shots still requires a massive amount of shoulder stabilization. Repetitive reaching can pinch or strain the rotator cuff tendons, making it painful to lift your arm.
4. Lower Back Pain
Think about your stance when playing at the net: you are hunched forward, knees slightly bent, tracking a low-bouncing ball. Holding this flexed position for hours, combined with sudden twisting to return a ball, puts immense mechanical stress on your lumbar spine and lower back muscles.
How Amity Health Clinic Can Help You Recover
If a nagging ache is keeping you off the court, you don't have to just "tough it out." At Amity Health Clinic in Scarborough, our collaborative, multidisciplinary team works together to build a customized recovery plan tailored precisely to your movement goals.
Conveniently located at 385 Silver Star Boulevard (Unit 102-102A), we offer a comprehensive suite of therapies under one roof to target court-related injuries from every angle:
Physiotherapy: Our physiotherapist, Christopher Ng, specializes in movement restoration and targeted exercise prescription. He will help you rebuild your foundational strength, fix improper movement mechanics, and safely transition you back to full court play.
Chiropractic Care: Our evidence-based chiropractors—including Dr. Paul Seto, Dr. Bonnie Chan, and Dr. Christina Choi (who is an avid pickleball player herself!)—specialize in joint mobilization, spinal mechanics, and treating lower kinetic chain injuries of the hips, knees, and feet.
Registered Massage Therapy (RMT): Our RMTs, Miguel Lee and Fengyi Huang, target deep muscle tension, break down scar tissue from overuse, and accelerate soft-tissue recovery so your muscles can bounce back faster.
Advanced Modalities: We also offer specialized tools like Shockwave Therapy, Laser Therapy, and custom-made orthotics to relieve stubborn heel pain (plantar fasciitis) and tendonitis.
Don't let court pain become a chronic problem. Let's get you moving better, feeling better, and playing pain-free.
Ready to get back in the game?
Visit us at 385 Silver Star Blvd, Unit 102-102A, Scarborough, ON
Call to book your assessment: 416-291-6727
Or book online anytime via our online booking website
