Has Pickleball Pain Got You Down?
The summer sports season is here! This time of year offers lots of opportunities for low-key recreational sports like pickleball or tennis. Unfortunately, the increased activity often brings aches and pains, too.
It’s normal to experience some soreness after exercise, particularly if you really pushed yourself. What can be a little trickier is deciding if your discomfort is a normal response to activity or a sign that something more serious is developing.
However, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. The team at First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center can assess your symptoms and let you know what to do next.
Why Do Injuries Happen During Summer Sports?
We think of recreational sports as something casual, but they can still place significant demands on the body.
Take pickleball, for example. This fun, fast-paced sport has become massively popular in recent years, in part because it’s easy to learn and not too physically demanding. However, the game still involves quick starts and stops, rapid changes in direction, and lots of reaching, lunging, and repetitive overhead movements that put stress on your joints and tissues.
It’s those repetitive movements that are the real source of the trouble. They often lead to overuse injuries, which develop when tissues are exposed to repeated stress without enough time to recover. Unlike sudden injuries, such as an ankle sprain, overuse injuries often develop gradually.
What Are Some Examples of Overuse Injuries?
- Shoulder pain from repeated serving or overhead motions
- Pickleball elbow, which causes pain on the outside of the elbow
- Knee pain from frequent jumping, squatting, or direction changes
- Achilles tendon irritation near the back of the ankle
- Plantar fasciitis, which causes pain along the bottom of the foot
- Low back pain from repetitive twisting or bending
Overuse Injuries Versus Normal Soreness
Many people will notice that their muscles feel achy or sore after exercise. This isn’t necessarily an injury. DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) will often occur 12-48 hours after activity, especially if you were doing something new or more intense than your usual workouts.
For example, if you spend your weekend at a pickleball tournament, you might wake up on Monday with some soreness or tenderness in your thighs. However, you’ll likely notice that it improves with light movement and gradually fades within a few days.
A true injury, however, will present differently. You might notice a light ache in your shoulder joint every time you serve. At first, it’s only a problem when you’re on the pickleball court. But after a few weeks, you start having shoulder pain while you’re at your desk at work, too. That situation is likely an injury.
Signs You Should Give Us a Visit
- Pain that persists for more than several days
- Pain that worsens during activity
- Swelling around a joint
- Sharp, stabbing, or catching pain
- Pain that causes limping
- Weakness or loss of strength
- Reduced range of motion
- Pain that interferes with sleep
- Numbness or tingling
Addressing Summer Sports Injuries with Physical Therapy
If you suspect you have a sports injury, reach out to First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center for an evaluation! We can take a look at your symptoms and movement patterns to help you know what might be going on. If you do have an injury, we’ll create a customized treatment plan. We offer several techniques, including:
- Hands-on manual therapy techniques to help reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore normal movement patterns
- A targeted exercise program to improve strength, mobility, endurance, and more, which will help support your healing and improve overall performance
- Gradually building up your tissue tolerance and strength so your muscles and joints can easily handle the repetitive demands of the sport
- Temporary adjustments to training volume, intensity, or technique so you can stay active while irritated tissues heal
- Aquatic therapy to provide a supportive environment to restore strength and mobility with less joint stress
Don’t Let a Small Issue Keep You Sidelined
Summer sports should help you stay active, healthy, and connected to your friends and loved ones. They shouldn’t cause pain.
If you think you might have an injury, reach out to First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center to schedule an evaluation. Our team will identify the source of your discomfort and develop a personalized treatment plan to help you get back in the game.
Return to PT at First Colony!
Miss feeling your best? Come back to First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center & Sports Therapy Center and let us help you get there—schedule your appointment today!
Real People.
Real Results.
July 4th Health & Safety Tips
Independence Day is a wonderful time to celebrate with family, gather for barbecues, and enjoy outdoor activities. A few simple movement habits can help protect your body so you can spend the holiday making memories instead of dealing with aches and pains.
1
Pace Your Activities
2
Lift Heavy Items Properly
3
Change Positions Often
4
Stay Hydrated
5
Listen to Your Body
6
Address Aches Early
Healthy Recipe
Strawberry & Banana Popsicles
Cool off with these delicious strawberry & banana popsicles, a refreshing homemade treat bursting with fruity flavor and creamy goodness. They’re easy to make, naturally satisfying, and perfect for enjoying on a warm summer day!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound strawberries, washed and stems removed
- 1 large, ripe banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- sugar to taste (optional: let the fruit do the work instead!)
Add the strawberries, banana, milk, and yogurt to the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add sugar if needed, depending on the ripeness of your fruit and your taste preferences. Pour the liquid into popsicle molds (or even paper cups), insert the handles, and freeze until firm, generally overnight. Enjoy frozen the next day.
Follow Us on Social Media!
Share Your Success Story
Love your experience with First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center & Sports Therapy Center? Click the button to leave us a Google review—your feedback helps others find the care they need!
Thank you for subscribing to First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center & Sports Therapy Center
Refer a Friend
Our purpose at First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center & Sports Therapy Center is to leave a greater impact on the community around us. In order to achieve our goal we want to change as many lives as possible as we become a beacon of positivity in our community.
