Like most sports , pickleball requires mobility , stability , power , and agility combined with proper coordination and motor control to be successful . While pickleball continues to expand and the demographics are getting younger , most players are still over 55 years old . This has created an interesting situation that we ’ ve not seen too often : a physical activity that people are participating in more as they age ( usually people tend to be less active as they get older ). However , most pickleball players play multiple times a week , for several hours at a time ! This , in turn , has led to an increase in injuries related to pickleball .
Therefore , focusing on injury prevention through adequate preparation , strengthening , and physical mobility should be at the top of the list for those looking to play for years to come . It has been found that after the age of 65 , 80 percent of the population has some level of tearing in their rotator cuff musculature . Therefore , the shoulder is at great risk for injury , especially in a sport that requires upper extremity movement .
The shoulder is an interesting joint . It is necessary for great mobility . However , it can ’ t function properly without having concurrent stability . The shoulder and hip are often compared in sports medicine since both are “ ball and socket ” joints with great degrees of rotational mobility . But there is a significant difference : the hip joint socket is much deeper than the shoulder . Therefore , the hip has natural stability because the ball of the joint sits nicely in a deep “ pocket .” The shoulder , however , has a very shallow socket , and therefore its stability comes primarily from soft tissue structures around it ( connective tissue known as the capsule ), and the musculature surrounding the joint .
Maintaining mobility of the shoulder is imperative in order to reach overhead , as well as to hit most shots in pickleball . In addition to good mobility , developing and maintaining proper strength and muscle balance around the shoulder joint will not only help in hitting the ball with more power , but will also ensure a lower injury risk over time .
As pickleball utilizes the shoulder heavily for most shots ( dinks , drives , volleys , and overheads ), focusing our attention on shoulder health should be at the top of the list for most players ! Consulting a qualified doctor of physical therapy to have your shoulder thoroughly evaluated would be a great place to start in order to develop an individualized program for your shoulder as it applies to pickleball .
If you ’ d like to learn more about this , you can email thepickleballdoctor @ gmail . com . The Pickleball Doctor is the owner of Move It Physical Therapy in Chapel Hill , NC . Free 10-minute consults are available to see if it ’ s a good fit , and virtual sessions are available if you are not in the area . •
Noe Sariban is a doctor of physical therapy and owner of Move It Physical Therapy in Chapel Hill , NC . He is a certified pickleball teaching professional through the IPTPA , and the tournament physical therapist for the world ’ s # 1 men ’ s player , Ben Johns . Noe has a physical therapy business as well as a pickleball coaching business . If you ’ d like to register for camps or lessons , email thepickleballdoctor @ gmail . com .
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023 | MAGAZINE 91