Of all movements in pickleball, repetitive dinking is
probably the most taxing on the lower back. Dinking
requires players to stay low while moving side to side
and often combines bending and twisting in order to hit
a soft shot over the net that will land in the No-Volley
Zone. Many players get low by bending through the
spine rather than through the knees, which further
increases their risk for injury while dinking.
Repetition of biomechanically disadvantaged
movements in the lumbar spine can lead to injuries
such as muscle strains, ligaments sprains, facet
joint dysfunctions, disc bulges, herniated disc and
compression fractures. Each injury requires a different
approach to rehabilitation. If you’re injured, you should
consult a licensed health care professional such as a
Sports Physical Therapist in order to be evaluated and
effectively treated.
Developing a stable spine by performing dynamic
core stabilizat ion exercises, that are specific to the
demands of pickleball, is the only way to try to prevent
lower back pain. There are multiple ways to train the
core, and these days everyone has “the best” recipe
for success. In my opinion, training in different planes
of motions—combining stable and unstable surfaces,
while progressing the level of difficulty to achieve
stability, strength endurance and power development—
is the only way to properly prepare your spine for the
demands of sports. These stages are described next.
The core can loosely be defined by the structures
that make up the lumbo-pelvic-hip-complex. This
grouping of muscles, ligaments and fascia work in
a coordinated and intricate manner to produce force
concentrically, decelerate force eccentrically and
stabilize against compressive, torsional, and shear
forces isometrically. When designing a program to train
your core, it’s important to build stability first, followed
by strength and then power.
The stabilization stage emphasizes improving
dynamic joint stability, postural equilibrium and
neuromuscular control. Its purpose is to prepare the
body for more demanding activities by establishing
a solid foundation and developing optimal
communication between the body’s nervous and
muscular systems. This includes correcting existing
muscle imbalances and training in proprioceptive
environments. It’s imperative that stabilization
training be performed first because research has
shown that inefficient stabilization often results in
altered force production in muscles, excessive stress
at joints, tissue overload and eventual injury.
The strength stage focuses on enhancing
stabilization strength while also increasing prime
mover strength. Strength endurance is typically
improved by performing two similar exercises back-to-
back, where one is completed in a stable environment
(e.g. barbell squats) while the other is performed
in an unstable environment (e.g. squats on BOSU
ball). This type of training is called a “superset.” The
strength stage also includes hypertrophy training
and maximal strength training, if the athlete’s goals
include gaining muscle mass. Research has shown that
while strength adaptations can happen quite rapidly,
muscle hypertrophy does not occur for at least 4 to
8 weeks of training. Those initial strength gains can
be attributed to improved motor unit recruitment by
the neuromuscular system. The best way to achieve
muscle hypertrophy is to follow a resistance-training
program consisting of moderate to low repetitions with
progressively higher loads.
After acquiring optimal levels of stabilization and
strength, the power stage focuses on applying those
gains by training with speeds and forces that are more
“game-speed.” This development of speed and power
is essential to athletic performance in nearly all sports.
Power is defined as force multiplied by velocity (P = F x
V). Therefore, an increase in either of those factors will
result in an increase in power. Typically this is done by
training with both heavy loads at low speeds (force) and
light loads at high speeds (velocity). Another effective
method is to superset a traditional strengthening
exercise (e.g. barbell squats) with a similar plyometric
exercise (e.g. jump knee tucks). By doing so, you
can effectively improve the muscle’s rate of force
production, thereby becoming more explosive.
If you’re interested in developing a program that
fits your needs, consulting a sports physical therapist
can be incredibly beneficial. Physical therapists
have a doctorate level education, and their expertise
surpasses that of a personal trainer at a gym by a long
shot! You can always visit www.thepickleballdoctor.
com or my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/
pickleballdoctor) for more information, videos, updates
or to contact me. •
Noe Sariban is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Pickleball
Teaching Professional through the IPTPA, and a USAPA Rated 5.0 player
sponsored by Engage Pickleball. Please visit www.thepickleballdoctor.
com for more information on injury prevention and rehabilitation tips.
Noe started his website to provide pickleball players around the world
with a reliable and free source of information.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 |
MAGAZINE
57