Pickleball Warmups

Heard about a lot of injuries from pickleball? Almost everyone I know has a friend who has had at least one pickleball injury. THIS IS NOT INDICATIVE OF PICKLEBALL. Pickleball is a very popular sport, so if you are hearing about pickleball injuries ,it is because lots of people are playing pickleball. But, there are likely just as many tennis injuries, running injuries, gym injuries, etc.

One way to make sure you don’t get injured playing pickleball is to warm up well before your games begin. If your game is at 10:00 am, show up at 9:40 and warm up. Not sure what to do? First of all, NO STATIC STRETCHING! (Static stretches are those in which you stand, sit or lie still and hold a single position for period of time, up to about 45 seconds.) Static stretching is for AFTER your activity, when your muscles are warm. Dynamic stretching is for pre-workout, pre-activity. (Dynamic stretches are controlled movements that prepare your muscles, ligaments and other soft tissues for performance and safety. They are generally movements, rather than “stretches”.) Here are some forms of dynamic stretches that you can – and should – do pre-pickleball game:

- Squats

- Lunges

- Walk on toes

- Walk on heels

- Can openers (hips)

- Can closers (hips)

- Straight leg kicks

- Windmills

- Arm circles – small and large, forward and back

- Press arms overhead, out to the sides, and diagonally forward

If you don’t know what dynamic stretching is (or don’t know what these exercises look like), please attend the Grand Opening where Ilene will lead a warm-up before Open Play.