Pickleball Isn’t the Problem (Part 1): Why More Movement Is the Answer for Daniel Island & Mount Pleasant
- Made 2 Move Team
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
About the Author: Hannah Breal, PT, DPT is the co-owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy in Charleston and Charlotte. She helps athletes and active adults rebuild strength, mobility, and confidence so they can move pain-free for life.
Pickleball is the #1 cause of death globally and in the US and costs us billions of dollars per year.
WAIT.
Did I say pickleball??
OOPS.
What I meant was chronic disease.
Did you get nervous that I'm one of those physical therapists that tells people exercise is bad for them??
My bad, classic mix up.
Speaking of pickleball though — a major risk factor for chronic disease is being physically inactive. AKA not playing pickleball.
“Not getting enough physical activity comes with high health and financial costs. It can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. Physical inactivity also costs the nation $117 billion a year for related health care.”
But yet… there are articles floating around and doctors telling people NOT to play pickleball?
You’ve gotta be joking.
This is a horrible message (and unfortunately the same one that gets thrown on CrossFit, running, lifting weights — basically anything that gets people moving and smiling).
So here’s the truth about pickling with your friends (from a PT who has seen plenty of people with pickle injuries):
Pickleball is highly accessible, fun, and gets a lot of people moving who otherwise wouldn’t be moving.
This is a GOOD thing. We want more people to move more.
Like any sport, pickleball places stress and demand on our bodies.
And like ANY sport, there’s a higher risk of injury when we go from doing nothing to doing a lot.
Not because it’s bad for us, but because our bodies just aren’t ready for it yet.
Key word: yet.
Especially when that sport surprisingly involves a solid amount of running, deceleration, impact/force absorption, lateral movement, upper body strength, and more.
(Yes, we’re still talking about pickleball!)
All of those things can be trained, improved, and built over time — and they all improve your overall quality of life.
Real talk: I’d much rather have a higher risk of injury from starting a new sport or exercise regimen than a high risk of chronic disease from being sedentary.
Mic drop.
The problem isn’t pickleball.
The problem is that most people are sedentary and have a very low baseline capacity and level of physical preparedness.
So when they go to play pickleball, their bodies are like:
“Whoa there, Sally. You haven’t moved like that in decades.”
And then Sally falls in love with pickleball, plays 5–6 times per week…
Her knees start hurting…
And her doctor says:
“Well Sally, pickleball is hurting you. Stop or you’ll need surgery.”
So Sally stops.
And she turns into sedentary Sally again.
But now she’s sad, too.
And I’m over here like… can we just go back a couple steps??
What if instead, we just helped Sally be more prepared for the demands of pickleball?
So she can stay active, do what she enjoys, and get healthier along the way?
The problem isn’t pickleball.
The problem is that a LOT of people have a really low capacity for physical activity.
If you haven’t sprinted in decades, but then you go do 10 x 200m sprints three days in a row and get knee pain — which explanation makes more sense?
“I have bad knees and I need surgery.”
“I probably wasn’t prepared for that amount of sprinting, since I haven’t trained for it in years.”
If you’re new to pickleball, the #1 thing I recommend to prevent injuries is ramping up your playing time slowly.
I know that’s the most boring, non-sexy advice ever, but when we ramp up slowly, we let our bodies recover and adapt to the stress we’re placing on them.
Start with 1–2 days a week, then ramp up as your body gets used to it.If aches show up, pull back.
Pickleball is addicting — I get it.
If you’re looking for a way to boost your capacity, pickleball performance, and decrease your risk of injury, that’s what we help people with every day.
In part 2 of this blog, I’ll give you some of my favorite exercises for pickleballers.
“Pickleball is NOT bad for you.”– Me, a physical therapist.
Send this to Sally.
Ready to Play Pickleball Without Pain?
At Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, we help active adults, pickleball players, and recreational athletes in Daniel Island and Mount Pleasant stay strong, healthy, and injury-free so they can keep playing for years.
We have three convenient locations:
Our team of DPTs can help you move, play, and live without limitations.
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Written by Hannah Breal, PT, DPT, Co-Owner of Made 2 Move Physical Therapy, helping Charleston and Charlotte move pain-free for life.
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