Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and with that growth we’ve seen a rise in pickleball-related injuries in the clinic, especially knee pain. Achy knees, stiff knees, swelling: these are common symptoms that can keep you off the court. Pickleball is generally easier on your joints than tennis, but that doesn’t mean knee pain won’t develop. Here’s how to keep your knees healthy and stay in the game.
Pickleball puts real stress on the knees with quick turns and sudden stops, and we commonly see knee-related injuries in our pickleball-playing patients. Here are the four most common ones, and what to do about each.
1. Knee strains
A strain is a damaged tendon or muscle, often from overuse or from pivoting too quickly during a swing, which puts repetitive strain on the knee. Wearing a brace can offset force to the uninjured part of the knee and give it extra support while it heals. Proper warm-up and dynamic stretching before playing lessens your risk by preparing the muscles for movement instead of forcing them into sudden heavy exercise; static stretching afterward helps prevent soreness.
2. Hamstring or quad strains
Over-lunging to save a shot is common in pickleball, and it can overstretch the hamstring or quadriceps, causing anything from mild overstretching to a partial or full tear. A compression sleeve can help by increasing blood flow and limiting movement in the area. As with knee strains, warming up and stretching matter, and so does avoiding sudden sprints without warming up first. Staying hydrated matters too: dehydration increases muscle fatigue, making injury more likely before your body should even be tired.
3. Patellar tendonitis (“jumper’s knee”)
Frequent quick stop-and-go movement, lunging forward then quickly reversing for the return shot, puts stress specifically on the patellar tendon, which straightens and bends the knee. It’s caused by overuse from landing jumps or making quick directional changes. A knee strap brace can relieve pain by applying pressure to the tendon without restricting movement, and proper leg alignment (strengthened through hip work like clamshells, hip hikes, and bridging) helps prevent it from developing in the first place. Stretching and strengthening the quads matters too, and if you’re already feeling patellar pain, rest and avoid the stop-and-go movements and unwarmed-up jumping that aggravate it.
4. Osteoarthritis
Most common in older athletes or those with a prior knee surgery, osteoarthritis develops when repetitive movement on a hard court breaks down cartilage between the joints over time. It progresses through stages, from minor cartilage breakdown with little pain, to severe stages where cartilage is nearly gone and daily activities become difficult. X-rays help determine the right treatment, which often includes strengthening the hip and foot arches to improve alignment and take load off the cartilage, along with improving flexibility so joints move through a full range of motion without excess stress. Properly fitted orthotics can also help improve alignment and reduce strain on the knee.
Injuries are common in every sport, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop playing. With the right precautions, pickleball can be played safely for years to come.