Pickleball Injuries Are Real: What Competitive Players Deal With

Many people say pickleball isn’t an athletic sport, or that it’s not even a sport at all. They imagine a bunch of retirees underhand serving wiffle balls and shuffling around like they’re warming up for bingo. But if you’ve ever stepped on a pickleball court and played at a competitive level, you know just how physically demanding the game can be. It’s fast, it’s explosive, and it requires a sharp blend of agility, reflexes, and court awareness. What is often a by-product of all this? Injuries.

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Why Competitive Pickleball Causes Serious Injuries

I’m not talking about someone who’s half-drunk, stumbling around during a glow-in-the-dark pickleball game, and ends up twisting their ankle. I’m talking serious players who train hard, move with purpose, and still find themselves sidelined. Just like any high-intensity sport, when your movement is sudden and your body’s constantly under tension, the wear and tear becomes real.

Just like any high-intensity sport, when your movement is sudden and your body’s constantly under tension, the wear and tear becomes real

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Pickleball Arm Pain: Understanding Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a condition caused by overusing the muscles and tendons of the forearm, usually through repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. In pickleball, this often means hitting shots with unorthodox form or gripping your paddle like it's a lifeline. It leads to pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow. At first, it’s just a dull ache. But ignore it, and it can flare up into something that makes every swing feel like you're jabbing your funny bone with a screwdriver. It can sideline a player for weeks or even months if not treated properly.

Recovery often includes rest, physical therapy, switching to a lighter paddle or one with a thicker grip, and incorporating regular stretching into your routine. Prevention? Try loosening up your grip pressure, improving your form, and mixing in strength training for your forearms. The goal isn’t to stop playing, it’s to play smarter and longer.

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Pickleball Foot Pain: A Common and Costly Injury

Another injury that’s prevalent in the pickleball world, and that I’ve been experiencing lately, is foot pain. Spending hours on hard court surfaces, especially with worn-out footwear or improper movement mechanics, is a recipe for disaster. Let’s be real, concrete wasn’t part of what the human foot was designed to handle when it comes to high-impact movement and repeated stress. Modern sports, like pickleball, force your feet to absorb a beating that nature never intended. The pivoting, sprinting, and sudden stops take their toll quickly.

It’s easy to overlook foot care, especially when you’re focused on getting more court time or climbing the ranks. But the wrong shoes or worn-out insoles can quietly wreck your season. It might start with a little heel soreness. Next thing you know, you're limping from your bed to the fridge in the morning like you just ran a marathon. It’s not just inconvenient, it’s debilitating and disheartening.

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Diagnosing Plantar Fasciitis and Stress Fractures in Pickleball

In my case, I’m still waiting on a clear diagnosis, but it’s either plantar fasciitis or stress fractures in my heel. Both are brutal in their own ways. Plantar fasciitis involves inflammation of the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. It causes stabbing pain near the heel, especially with your first steps in the morning, and it can linger for months.

Stress fractures, on the other hand, are tiny cracks in the bone caused by repetitive force. In other words, the court fights back. They’re common in high-impact sports and are often the result of overtraining without giving your body time to recover. You won’t notice them right away. But as the pain worsens, you’ll eventually have no choice but to stop playing.

If you don’t respect your feet, they’ll put you in your place. And that place might be a couch with an ice pack, missing out on important tournaments.

Either way, the pain is real and persistent. And it doesn’t just hurt your foot, it hurts your progress. Mentally, it’s a grind. You’re itching to get back on the court, but you know rushing it could make things worse. Lesson learned: if you don’t respect your feet, they’ll put you in your place. And that place might be a couch with an ice pack, missing out on important tournaments.

Pickleball absolutely gives you a workout, no doubt about it. But if you’re not paying attention to your body, it will protest. We’re talking throbbing joints, bruised muscles, and your Saturday mornings rerouted from the court to the couch.

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How to Prevent Pickleball Injuries and Stay on the Court

The bottom line? Pickleball isn’t some soft retiree pastime. It’s a fast, intense sport that demands respect if you want to play at a high level and stay healthy. If you push hard, train hard, and compete often, the injuries are real. Unfortunately, that’s just part of the deal.

So what’s the move? There are lots of ways to reduce the number of injuries you face. Warm up before you play. Cross-train. Replace your shoes when they're cooked. Spend time barefoot walking around in nature. Stretch more than you think you need to. And most importantly, listen to your body. Because if you don’t, it’ll make you listen. Loud and clear.

Pickleball might look easy from the sidelines, but step onto the court and you’ll find out quick. This game bites back like any other sport.

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