Poor Posture and Pickleball-Related Injuries

Maintaining good posture can benefit your health and wellness in many ways. Did you know that includes reducing your injury risk on the pickleball court? Yes, you're more likely to get hurt if you have poor posture when playing pickleball.

This article explains the connection between your posture and your pickleball injury risk.

What Does Good Pickleball Posture Look Like?

Before diving into how poor posture can affect your injury risk on the pickleball court, let's consider what good posture looks like. Pickleball is a dynamic sport, so you'll find yourself in many different positions throughout a game. However, you should continually return to a good "ready position" that is defined as:

• Feet shoulder-width apart
• Feet aligned or one slightly ahead
• Knees slightly bent
• Spine straight but relaxed
• Neck aligned with your spine
• Weight on the balls of your feet
• Hips/shoulders square to the net
• Core muscles engaged
• Paddle at waist to chest height
• Paddle face angled slightly forward
• Relaxed but firm grip on the paddle

Being in this position as much as possible while you await your opponent's shots enhances your ability to react and hit effective returns.

The Consequences of Poor Pickleball Posture

Like any exercise, the bending, twisting and reaching movements common in pickleball apply force to your muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints. If your posture is good, your body absorbs the force with no harm done. On the other hand, if your posture is poor, that energy can cause multiple issues, including:

Back Pain

Playing pickleball with bad posture, such as your spine curved, increases your risk of back strain and lower back pain. It also exposes you to potential disc-related issues.

Neck Strain

A hunched posture can strain the muscles and ligaments in your neck, causing pain and discomfort.

Shoulder Injuries

Poor posture, especially when making overhead shots, can strain shoulder muscles and tendons, potentially leading to issues like tendonitis or rotator cuff injuries.

Falls and Related Injuries

Failing to have a sturdy stance and keep your weight over your base can mess up your balance and increase the risk of falls and injuries like sprains, strains and broken bones.

Tips for Maintaining Good Posture on the Pickleball Court

Correcting poor posture can be challenging. Our stance tends to be ingrained in us, and we slip back into default mode as soon as our focus drifts. But improvement is possible.

Here are some tips for adjusting your posture:

Commit to Good Posture

Develop a mental image of appropriate posture and keep bringing your focus back to it throughout your pickleball games.

Strengthen Your Core

A strong core makes it easier to keep your spine straight.

Learn Proper Pickleball Techniques

Using good footwork, appropriate shot mechanics, etc., makes it easier to play the game and less likely that you'll need to resort to awkward postures to pursue and hit the ball.

Stretch Regularly

Stretching before play improves your flexibility and range of motion, and after play, it helps recovery. It's also a good idea to do quick stretches between games or even between points if you have problem areas that could benefit from some attention.

Position Yourself for Pickleball Success

Maintaining good posture on the pickleball court reduces your injury risk and can improve your performance. Still, injuries can occur. If you get hurt while playing, contact your orthopedic provider. They can diagnose your injury and recommend treatment to get you back out there as quickly as possible. And if you need urgent or emergency care, we're here to help.

If you don't have a Baptist Health orthopedic provider, you can find one on our provider directory.