Pickleball is just too much … too much fun , that is ! The sport is unlike anything else , in the way that when people start playing and get hooked on this amazing game , they spend countless hours on the court ! When is the last time you heard of a 73-yearold woman playing basketball 6x / week for 3 to 4 hours at a time ? Never ! However , this is a common occurrence in pickleball !
It ’ s not just older people either . Everyone who plays develops this strange “ addiction ” for this sport and spends more time on the court than most activities they have ever tried in the past . This , of course , has many health benefits ( mental and physical ) for players , but it also creates a significant need for proper recovery in order to continue to stay healthy and play multiple times a week . In addition , those who participate in tournament play know how grueling tournaments can be , with multiple matches per day , multiple days in a row . Maximizing recovery is essential for players to bounce back for the next match or next day of playing .
When talking about recovery , it is important to understand the basics of exercise-induced muscle fatigue , and physiological responses to exercise . Whenever we engage in physical activity , our muscles will experience some level of micro-trauma in response to the demands placed on them . The harder you play , the more micro-tearing will occur , and the more soreness there will be as a response . There are many factors that will affect someone ’ s soreness and fatigue , but since muscle soreness and fatigue is mostly due to muscle breakdown , then all interventions used in recovery should be aimed at maximizing muscle healing and regeneration .
The main objective of recovery strategies should aim to promote collagen synthesis , maximize growth hormone and IGF-1 ( insulin growth factor ), increase lactate ( to break down lactic acid ), and maximize blood flow . There are many interventions that can be used , and a combination is usually the best approach .
• Low-intensity exercise : Performing a cool-down is a great first step to promote blood flow while placing low demands on your muscles . Riding a stationary bicycle with low resistance is a good example of a low-intensity exercise that would promote blood flow post pickleball .
• Massage : Massage has been shown to be an effective intervention for short-term relief of muscle soreness and muscular fatigue , as it promotes blood flow locally in the target area .
• Dry needling ( to be performed by a licensed and certified health care provider ): The use of dry needling is a great tool to induce increased blood flow to muscular structures , while also addressing possible pain and muscle tightness .
• Blood flow restriction training ( to be performed by a licensed and certified health care provider ): Blood flow restriction training is being used by professional athletes for recovery as it has been shown to boost the presence of lactate , growth hormone and IGF-1 , and promote angiogenesis ( protein making ) in the blood .
• Water immersion : Being immersed in water enables our bodies to be subject to hydrostatic pressure , which helps redistribute blood throughout the body and capillaries . Many have been gravitating toward cold water immersion as this may have added benefits for reducing inflammatory markers . The evidence for cold water immersion is still not definitive , however , since most studies did not include large-enough sample sizes .
• Rest : Finally , adequate rest and sleep is absolutely crucial to recovery . When sleeping ( lying down ), our bodies are in a horizontal position , which is ideal for redistributing blood throughout the system . In addition , adequate sleep enables our muscles to be turned off and promotes increased growth hormone to be released to help with protein synthesis and regeneration .
Consulting a qualified doctor of physical therapy who specializes in sports physical therapy would be a great resource to help with your recovery . If you ’ d like to learn more about this , you can contact me at thepickleballdoctor @ gmail . com .
The Pickleball Doctor works with pickleball ’ s # 1 men ’ s player in the world , Ben Johns . •
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 .
MARCH / APRIL 2024 | MAGAZINE 69