{"Status":true,"Message":"","Response":{"post":{"postuid":"915bebc7-749f-4f5e-bb70-e11a000a2b34","tenantuid":"45a0010e-ec76-43e9-9914-4376bfa80903","projectuid":"4025e8c9-71ea-4557-850d-662c78598919","title":"What Are Common Pickleball Injuries?","slug":"article/what-are-common-pickleball-injuries","html":"\u003Cp\u003EThe most common pickleball injuries include pickleball elbow (lateral epicondylitis), rotator cuff strain, knee pain, ankle sprains, lower back strain, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and wrist strain. These injuries generally fall into two categories: overuse injuries from repetitive motion, and acute injuries from falls or sudden movements.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022common_pickleball_injuries_at_a_glance\u0022\u003ECommon Pickleball Injuries at a Glance\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Ctable border=\u00221\u0022 style=\u0022border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\u0022\u003E\u003Cthead\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Cth\u003EInjury\u003C/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EType\u003C/th\u003E\u003Cth\u003EMost Common In\u003C/th\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003C/thead\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPickleball elbow (lateral epicondylitis)\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAll players; especially beginners and older adults\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ERotator cuff strain or tear\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse / acute\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlayers 50\u002B; overhead smash movement\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EKnee pain (patellar tendinopathy, meniscus)\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse / acute\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlayers with existing knee conditions; high-volume players\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAnkle sprain\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAcute\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAny player; lateral cutting movements\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003ELower back strain\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlayers with poor trunk stability or posture\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EAchilles tendinopathy\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlayers 40\u002B; fast explosive movement\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlantar fasciitis\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlayers logging high weekly court hours\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EWrist strain\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EOveruse / acute\u003C/td\u003E\u003Ctd\u003EPlayers using incorrect paddle grip technique\u003C/td\u003E\u003C/tr\u003E\u003C/table\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022why_these_injuries_happen\u0022\u003EWhy These Injuries Happen\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost pickleball injuries stem from a combination of repetitive paddle motion, the sport\u0027s rapid growth attracting many new and often older players without adequate preparation, and the constant lateral movement that places unique stress on the lower body. Overuse injuries like pickleball elbow tend to develop gradually from repeated mechanical strain, while acute injuries like ankle sprains typically result from a sudden misstep or quick directional change.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022recommended\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003ENote\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPickleball\u0027s rise in injury reports closely tracks its explosive growth in popularity \u2014 more people of all ages and fitness levels are picking up the sport, often without easing in gradually or learning proper technique first. Most pickleball injuries are genuinely preventable with the right preparation.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022frequently_asked_questions\u0022\u003EFrequently Asked Questions\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\u0022what_is_the_single_most_common_pickleball_injury\u0022\u003EWhat is the single most common pickleball injury?\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPickleball elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is widely reported as the most common overuse injury in the sport, largely because it develops from the repetitive paddle swing motion that every player performs constantly throughout a match.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\u0022are_pickleball_injuries_more_common_in_older_players\u0022\u003EAre pickleball injuries more common in older players?\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOlder players do report higher rates of certain injuries, particularly fractures from falls and rotator cuff issues, partly due to age-related changes in bone density, tendon elasticity, and balance. That said, overuse injuries like pickleball elbow affect players of all ages, including younger and newer players who haven\u0027t yet developed proper technique.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022related_articles\u0022\u003ERelated Articles\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://pickleball.com/docs/en/article/pickleball-health-fitness-injury-prevention-guide\u0022\u003EPickleball Health, Fitness \u0026amp; Injury Prevention Guide\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://pickleball.com/docs/en/article/how-do-you-prevent-pickleball-injuries\u0022\u003EHow Do You Prevent Pickleball Injuries?\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://pickleball.com/docs/en/article/what-is-pickleball-elbow\u0022\u003EWhat Is Pickleball Elbow?\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003C/ul\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuestions about pickleball and your health? Email \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:support@pickleball.com\u0022\u003Esupport@pickleball.com\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","publish_status":0,"post_type":"Article","authoruid":"42b786ed-5ff2-467c-9593-d828908ee6d2","author":{"authoruid":"42b786ed-5ff2-467c-9593-d828908ee6d2","name":"Christy Cook","url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-cook-texas/","photo_url":"https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/45a0010e-ec76-43e9-9914-4376bfa80903/4025e8c9-71ea-4557-850d-662c78598919/4fd2cf59-047a-4a00-8a6d-2d9c6c9f91fe.jpg?v=1114665229","linkedin_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-cook-texas/"},"featured_image_updating":false,"meta_description":"Common pickleball injuries include pickleball elbow, rotator cuff strain, knee pain, ankle sprains, and more\u2014mostly from overuse or sudden movements.","keywords":"pickleball elbow; rotator cuff strain; knee pain; ankle sprains; lower back strain; Achilles tendinopathy; plantar fasciitis; wrist strain; overuse injuries; acute injuries","display_toc":true,"has_workingcopy":false,"allow_indexing":true,"total_views":8,"date_stale":"2027-04-01T00:00:00","date_published":"2026-06-30T09:45:11.123","date_updated":"2026-06-30T09:45:11.133","date_created":"2026-06-30T09:36:38.4"}}}