Longevity & Recovery: Vital Lessons l’ve Sadly Learnt

From my personal experience, grappling with the frustration of tearing my calf muscle three times within the initial six months of discovering a newfound love for pickleball was incredibly disheartening.

A Familiar Story?

"Once upon a time in a small quiet town called Pickleville, there's this guy named Michael. At 62, Michael was living the retired life, not really into much sports for the past couple of decades. One sunny day, he stumbled upon a group playing pickleball on the local courts, a sport he'd never seen before with a yellow whiffleball. Curiosity got the best of him, and he decided to give it a shot.

From that first hit of the ball, Michael was hooked. Pickleball brought back the excitement and a fun social aspect he hadn't felt in years. He went all in, buying top-notch gear and playing almost every second day for a few hours.

But here's the thing – Michael was so pumped about pickleball that he forgot about the importance of good technique, warming up and avoiding injuries. Like me, he wasn’t 21 years old anymore. Racing around chasing balls like a bull in a China store, he started feeling aches and pains in his joints. Ignoring the discomfort, he kept on playing until one day, going for a shot, he got a sharp twinge in his knee.

Nervously, Michael went to the physio and got the news – a pretty serious knee injury. The prescription? Rest, some rehab, and no pickleball for a while. Imagine how bummed Michael was, missing out on his newfound passion.

Does this story strike a chord with you or someone you know?

Prehab vs Rehab

It's a story many can relate to, and it's happening more as pickleball gets crazy popular.

The good news? Most injuries can be kicked to the curb with some rest and rehab, and you'll be back in the game with minimal FOMO (fear of missing out).

Even better news is that many injuries are more preventable than one might realise. A simple and quick 3 minute warm up can proactively ward off potential injuries, improve performance on the court and aid recovery.

What I’ve learnt:

1.      Sadley I’m not 21 years old anymore.

2.      Warm ups and post-game stretching maximises performance and longevity

3.      3 minutes prehab (preventative warm up) is better than rehab (regretful time off the court)

Guide Instructional Video

Check out this great instructional warm up and warm down guided video on avoiding pickleball injuries below: