The perils of pickleball: Here's how to avoid getting injured

Like many pickleball players, Lawrence Lukow is an avid devotee of the sport. 

"They call me the Cheetah because of my speed," Lukow recently told CBC associate producer Shelley Joyce after a game at the municipal court in Kamloops, B.C.

Lukow has been a member of the Kamloops Pickleball Club for seven years. A self-described "middle of the road" player, he enjoys the sport because it's enjoyable and affordable.

"It's fun," he said. "It gets you off the couch instead of napping and watching TV."

Also like many pickleball players, Lukow wears a knee brace. 

In his case, playing didn't cause an injury, but he's on the cusp of needing a knee replacement and he doesn't want to make things worse. 

Ease into it

Injuries are common among pickleball players, according to physiotherapists who treat them. 

The sport has become wildly popular in the past few years.

Many people are drawn to pickleball because it is social, easy to learn and played on a smaller court than tennis, thus requiring less running around. These factors, some say, make it attractive for players who are older or out of shape. 

Jen Larsen, a physiotherapist at Kamloops Physiotherapy, says in her practice she sees a lot of repetitive strain injuries — especially from new players at the beginning of the season.

"They start the sport, they pick it up, they play it, they're then at the pickleball court five to six days a week, and they're playing for multiple hours, like two, three and four hours a day," Larsen said.

Larsen recommends slowly easing into the sport. She says to start with about 30 minutes a day and gradually increasing time played from there. 

"Learn the game, learn the strategies so that you can play well and your body can tolerate it," she said.

Focus on knees and hips

Part of the appeal of pickleball is that it's a smaller court that doesn't require as much athleticism as a sport like tennis, says Brent Stevenson, co-owner of Envision Physiotherapy. 

"It's a sport you can pick up very easily and be reasonably competent at it," he said. "It's kind of like giant ping pong." 

But, he adds, the game relies on quick, sharp movement and lunging for the ball — which Stevenson says can be a recipe for a strained knee or lower back if a player doesn't have the right footwork.

Lori Goss is another Kamloops pickleball player who, like Lukow, says she was quickly drawn to the sport. 

"It's very social and it's so much fun," she said. 

She wears braces on both of her knees as "preventative medicine," she says. 

Such braces can make the sport more comfortable, especially for older players with arthritis, Stevenson says.

But he says knee braces don't solve the underlying issues at the root of the pain or potential injury. 

Knee and hip issues are often related, he says, so exercises for strength and flexibility in both those areas are key. 

Stevenson stresses the importance of an active, dynamic warmup before playing, with a focus on lateral movement and footwork. 

One positive of pickleball, Stevenson says, is that there are fewer upper body injuries than might occur in tennis because the balls are much lighter.