Strengthening Exercises To Prevent Pickleball-Related Back Pain

Your pickleball opponent’s shot skims low over the court. You bend to return it and then pop back into a ready stance, waiting for the next one. This can happen dozens of times in a pickleball match. As a result, your back and core muscles get an excellent workout. However, that activity can lead to back pain if your body isn’t well adapted to handle it.

This article describes strengthening exercises that pickleball enthusiasts can use to prevent back pain.

Strong Back and Core Muscles for Pain-Free Play

To avoid back pain, you need to strengthen your core and back muscles. Doing so helps stabilize your back, improve your posture, and enhance your balance — all of which contribute to a healthier back and less discomfort.

Many exercises can serve this purpose, so you should experiment to identify the ones that deliver the most benefit for you. Here are a few to start with, increasing the repetitions and durations as your fitness improves:

Bridges

• Lie on your back on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Keep your arms by your side.
• Engage your abdominal and gluteal (buttocks) muscles to lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Hold for a few seconds, lower back down, and repeat several times.

Planks

• Start with your body off the floor in a push-up position.
• Lower onto your forearms, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Engage your core and abdominal muscles to hold this position without arching your back or letting your hips sag.
• Hold for a designated time, lower your body to the floor, rest briefly, and repeat several times.

Bird Dogs

• Start on your hands and knees, with your hands below your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Engage your core muscles as you slowly extend one arm straight forward and the opposite leg straight back so both are parallel to the floor.
• Avoid changing your hip or back position.
• Hold for a few seconds, return to the starting position, and repeat on the other side, doing several repetitions.

Cat-Cow Stretches

• Start on your hands and knees, with your hands below your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale and slowly drop your belly toward the floor (cow pose).
• Exhale and slowly arch your back toward the ceiling, tucking your tailbone and chin toward your chest (cat pose).
• Repeat the sequence several times.

Supermans

• Lie face down on the floor, with your arms extended overhead and your legs straight.
• Simultaneously lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor, engaging your back and gluteal muscles.
• Hold for a few seconds, return to the floor, and repeat several times.

These are just a few exercises for strengthening your core and back muscles. Do some research and try several to see which ones work best for you.

Get Help With Back Pain From Baptist Health

Back pain can take the fun out of pickleball and life in general. Strengthening your back and core muscles with the exercises above can help prevent it.

If you experience persistent discomfort, talk with your healthcare provider. They can determine the cause of your back pain and prescribe treatment.

Take our Knee and Hip Joint Pain Assessment, call 1.844.6BAPTIST, or visit our provider director to get started with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care today.

Next Steps and Helpful Resources

Learn About Orthopedic Care at Baptist Health
How To Protect Your Joints While Playing Pickleball
Understanding Pickleball-Related Shoulder Injuries and Treatment Options
Preventing and Treating Pickleball-Related Knee Pain