ASK THE PICKLEBALL DOCTOR
What to do following an
ACUTE
INJURY?
By Noe Sariban, PT, DPT
www.thepickleballdoctor.com
T
he secret is out—pickleball is too much fun
not to play! However, it’s not just a game;
it’s a sport—and injuries happen, resulting
in players being sidelined and unable to
participate in their favorite activity. So what should you
do when you injure yourself on the courts? It depends!
Every injury is different and will require a different
approach to address it. I will give you general
guidelines that may improve your decision-making
should an unfortunate injury occur. Remember, when in
doubt, always consult a healthcare professional, or
go to the hospital in an emergency situation!
The main types of acute injuries seen
in pickleball are strains, sprains, tears,
contusions, fractures, disc herniations
and spinal joint dysfunctions. It’s
important to be mindful of how your
injury occurred so if you need to consult
a healthcare professional, he or she will
be able to diagnose you more accurately.
The main thing following an acute injury is to
protect the injured area, and make sure you’re in
a safe environment.
For lower extremity injuries (ankle, knee, hip,
calf, thigh, hamstring and quads), a “wait and see”
approach may work IF you are able to bear weight on
the affected limb after the injury. Avoid icing the injury
as this may delay the healing process. Only use ice as
a pain control method in order to numb the area! If the
pain is tolerable, do not use ice. Instead, perform gentle
motion, elevate the injury, compress, and avoid painful
68
positions. Keep track of how the injury progresses: is it
swollen, warm to the touch, discolored, etc.? If the injury
improves daily, it’s a good sign! If it does not, consult a
physical therapist!
If you’re unable to bear weight following the injury, or
the area feels unstable, you need to go to the hospital
and get checked out.
For injuries involving the spine (neck, mid-back,
or lower back), consulting a Physical Therapist
within a few days following the injury can make a
huge difference. Your therapist may be able to
correct the dysfunction and improve
your recovery time tremendously.
Research has shown that
physical therapy is very
effective when addressing
back pain, and results in
decreased pain and limitations
with activity. Here are a few common
acute injuries and the best actions to be
taken after the injury:
Ankle sprains
Ninety percent of ankle sprains involve the lateral
(outside) aspect of the ankle. Initially there is often
swelling, pain and possible discoloration. Most ankle
sprains will resolve on their own, but the best thing to
do in order to accelerate the healing is to compress
the area (using compression sleeves or ACE bandage
if nothing else is available) and elevate the ankle while
performing movement in all directions of the ankle.
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