Pickleball is becoming really popular in the U.S. However, the fast movements in the game, like sudden stops, lunges, and turns, can hurt the knees. This can happen to people of any age or skill level. To stay healthy while playing, it's important to know about common knee injuries in pickleball, why they happen, and how to take care of them.
Table of Contents
Overview of Knee Anatomy and Function
The knee joint is comprised of the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone), and the patella (kneecap). These bones are stabilized by an intricate web of tendons and ligaments that allow for knee flexion, extension, and rotation.
Key structures include:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): Attaches the femur to tibia. Prevents hyperextension.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL): Connects the femur to the tibia at the back of the knee joint. Provides stability.
Meniscus: The C-shaped cartilage between the femur and tibia. It acts as a shock absorber.
Patellar Tendon: Connects kneecap to the tibia bone—Transmits force for kicking/jumping.
Understanding these anatomical structures and how pickleball stresses them will clarify why certain knee injuries develop.
Most Common Pickleball Knee Injuries
Due to the cutting, pivoting, and reacting involved, there are four knee injuries that pickleball players need to watch out for:
Patellar Tendonitis
Patellar tendonitis, or “Jumper's Knee,” happens when the tendon connecting the kneecap and shinbone gets inflamed.
It occurs from repeating the same motion, like the movements in pickleball, which strain the tendon.
Signs include pain below the kneecap, usually on one side, and stiffness or soreness when bending the knee. It usually starts mild but can get worse if not treated correctly.
Meniscus Tears
Sudden stops, pivots or twists during play often lead to tears of the meniscus – the rubbery C-shaped disc that cushions the knee joint.
Tears cause knee pain, swelling, catching, or locking up. Minor tears may heal with rest but severe ones often require surgical repair.
ACL Sprains
The ACL prevents forward sliding of the tibia about the femur. Attempting to slow down or land incorrectly when running for a shot can cause ACL tears.
Symptoms include instability, knee giving out, and severe pain. Surgery is usually needed for athletes to return to sports after an ACL tear.
Baker's Cyst
A Baker's cyst is swelling caused by a buildup of fluid in the bursa behind the knee joint, which can be triggered by overuse, arthritis, injury, or strain.
Pickleball players may develop these cysts slowly or acutely after stressing the knee. Symptoms include swelling, stiffness, and discomfort which worsens with activity.
Causes of Pickleball Knee Injuries
Knowing why pickleball injuries knees can help players prevent problems.
Here are the main reasons:
- Jumping and stopping fast in pickleball overworks the kneecap tendon. This tendon can get 8 times more weight on it than normal. Over time, this swelling and pain.
- Planting your foot to turn or change directions strains ligaments and cartilage in the knee by twisting it too far.
- Weak thigh and butt muscles lead to more knee injuries. Strong leg muscles help absorb force on the knees.
- Playing pickleball too much doesn't give the knees time to heal between games. This leads to injuries.
- Ignoring early signs of knee pain and keeping playing makes small problems get serious quickly.
By understanding what causes knee injuries in this sport, players can make changes to avoid hurt knees. Listening to knee pain early and taking breaks can also help prevent big injuries.
Treatment Options
Treating pickleball knee injuries usually involves a combination of rest, medicine, physical therapy, bracing, injections, and sometimes surgery.
Methods include:
RICE Method – Rest, ice, compression, and elevation immediately after injury and during flareups.
NSAIDs – Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory meds like Advil reduce swelling and pain.
Rehab Exercises: Physical therapists develop programs to strengthen muscles supporting knees.
Braces & Taping – Compression sleeves, functional knee braces, patellar straps, or athletic tape provide extra support.
Cortisone Injections – Powerful anti-inflammatories injected directly into swollen/painful areas around the knee.
Surgery: For severe ACL/meniscus tears, surgery may efficiently repair damage.
Alternative medicine approaches like massage, acupuncture, and platelet-rich plasma injections, such as those offered at a Charlotte PRP clinic, can provide relief alongside traditional treatments.
Preventative Measures
Perfecting form, building explosiveness in the legs, balancing muscle groups, and allowing proper rest and recovery time will help pickleball athletes avoid knee issues including:
Technique Drills: Coaching and drills establish proper footwork, weight transfer, and alignment to protect knees.
Leg/Glute Strengthening – Strong, balanced leg muscles better stabilize knees under load.
Warm Up & Cool Down – Slowly ramping intensity up and down stresses knees less than abrupt efforts.
Knee Braces & Sleeves: Prophylactic braces support injury-prone knees during play without restricting mobility.
Maintain Healthy Weight: Reducing BMI lessens force through the knee with activity.
Adequate Rest: Taking off 1-2 days per week gives knees time to adapt between pickleball sessions.
Recovery Tools – Contrast baths, massage guns, and foam rolling increase blood flow to repair knees.
Listening to warning signs from knees early allows for prompt intervention and optimizing recovery. With the right prevention plan, players can enjoy pickleball safely well into their senior years.
Conclusion
Knowing about pickleball's most common knee injuries can help all players prevent joint issues.
Problems like kneecap tendon swelling, meniscus tears, and Baker's cysts happen mainly from the quick moves and pivoting in pickleball.
The good news is that most players can return to the court after knee problems with the right treatment plan for their injury. This involves rest, therapy, braces, medicine, and sometimes surgery.
Being proactive protects knees over time. Getting coaching on proper form, building leg strength, using preventative braces, and taking enough breaks allows enthusiasts to play pickleball for many years without serious injury. Paying attention to early signs of knee trouble can keep small problems from becoming major ones down the road.
Understanding typical pickleball knee issues makes it possible to stop pain before it starts. Players can use this info to make smart changes to safely play for life.
