There is a reason why pickleball has been dubbed the “fastest-growing sport in America”. Those that have caught the pickleball bug know how addicting it can be to play the game. Unfortunately, one of the most common side effects of playing pickleball too often is the dreaded Pickleball Elbow.
Pickleball Elbow is caused by repeatedly using poor form when making backhand motions which causes pain on the outside of your elbow (lateral epicondyle). Players experiencing this should stop playing immediately, and use ice/heat and stretches to treat it.
It can be hard to leave a game when you experience a flare-up. You may want to continue to keep playing, but it is important to take precautions before it gets worse.
Preventing Pickleball Elbow
Nothing can be more irritating than the stinging pain in your elbow when you’re about to make your shot. One of the best treatments you can do is to know how to prevent pickleball elbow from occurring.
Here are a few of the best ways to prevent pickleball elbow:
- Proper grip size: Ensure you have the correct grip to prevent irregular movements.
- Stretching: Stretch your muscles before working out, giving them as much give as possible.
- Increase your paddle handle size: Adding girth to your grip with an overgrip helps take the pressure off of your elbow.
- Stroke Technique: Work on your stroke mechanics to hit shots with a stable wrist.
- Try a Prokennex Paddle: These paddles are known to help by reducing vibrations and impact on your elbow.
- Take more days off: Give your body time to rest if you’ve been playing consecutive days in a row
We know what it’s like to want to play every day that you can. Ensure you stretch, use proper form, and work on your strokes. The best way to handle injury is to stop it before it occurs.
Symptoms of Pickleball Elbow
It’s good to be aware of the symptoms that usually come with pickleball elbow so you know to deal with it. Especially before it gets worse. Here are a few of the most common symptoms of pickleball elbow:
- Pain: Pain around the elbow and on the bony part of your elbow indicates pickleball elbow. For us, it felt like a stinging pain that was localized around the bony part of the elbow.
- Soreness: There may be pain or soreness from your elbow to your wrist.
- Gripping trouble: You may have issues gripping the pickleball paddle and other objects, such as mugs. Your hands may shake.
You may notice just one symptom or all of them. It is not uncommon to have some kind of pain from overuse when you’re doing any motion over and over again. Let’s go over what you can do to treat pickleball elbow.
Treating Pickleball Elbow
If you experience pickleball elbow, here are the best things you can do:
- Stop playing and rest: Take a break from pickleball and let your injury heal before playing again. It may hurt to sit out on all the fun but your body needs the time to repair and heal.
- Ice it: Put ice on the injury to reduce swelling and soothe the area.
- Try a brace: Use a brace to keep playing with support for a full recovery.
Recovering From Pickleball Elbow
A lot of times, pickleball elbows go away on their own with proper rest. Especially if you take a break from the sport for a few weeks. However, if your symptoms do not get better, here are other options that you may want to look into.
- Surgery: If resting for weeks or months does not make your pain better, you may want to speak to your doctor about the surgery.
- Injections: Steroid injections can lower swelling and speed up the healing process.
- Alternative sports: If you keep getting injured, try a different activity for a while.
- Work with a certified coach: Working with a certified coach who can teach you proper stroke mechanics can help with recovery and prevent pickleball elbow from recurring in the future.
Note that before using any of these treatments, always speak to your doctor. We are not licensed medical professionals and everything we’ve mentioned is our personal opinion and experience and should not be treated as medical advice. But as fellow pickleball addicts that have had to deal with pickleball elbow, these are some of the treatments that worked for us.
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