How Integrated Care at Hands of Hope Can Help Your Pickleball Injuries

Did you know that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, and the game is gaining more and more players every day? At Hands of Hope, we completely understand why: pickleball is an easy and fun way to stay active. The sport is similar to other racquet sports, but is often easier for beginners to pick up.

No matter your skill level or experience with pickleball, learning how to properly prepare your body is key to enjoying the sport.  Unfortunately, people jump right into the sport without any preparation or training to prepare their bodies for the demands on their muscles, tendons, and joints. This can quickly lead to injuries, even if pickleball might be more accessible than other racket sports.

There’s good news, though: our team of physical therapists and pain management specialists has proven success in helping people of all ages recover from injury and resume the sport they enjoy.

How Our Team Can Help You Excel on the Pickleball Court

We approach pickleball injury recovery through a coordinated model that blends physical therapy, medical pain management, and supportive wellness services to help you move forward with confidence. 

Your program begins with a detailed evaluation to identify movement limitations, strength deficits, and contributing factors, allowing the team to build a plan that is both individualized and goal-oriented. While no two plans are alike, here are just some of the services that we might recommend:

Advanced Rehabilitation Modalities

We offer several state-of-the-art treatment techniques to help boost your body’s natural healing process, including:

• Shockwave therapy to support tissue healing and recovery
• EMG biofeedback to improve muscle activation and control
• Neufit neuromuscular stimulation to accelerate strength gains and neuromuscular efficiency
• Kinesio taping to address soft tissue limitations and provide functional support

Integrated Pain Management

We also offer the strategic use of pain management techniques to allow continued participation in therapy even when pain levels are high. Depending on your needs, we might recommend:

• Joint injections to address inflammation of the soft tissues in the knees, hips, or elbows
• Trigger point injections to address myofascial restrictions in the body that can cause local or referred pain, often as a result of repetitive use injuries

Hands-On Physical Therapy

Movement-based therapy plays an important role in addressing movement or strength inefficiencies that can increase your injury risk. Physical therapy techniques include:

• Manual therapy to improve joint mobility and reduce soft tissue restrictions
• Targeted therapeutic exercise programs to restore strength, coordination, and stability
• Neuromuscular re-education to enhance movement patterns and reduce reinjury risk
• Strength and conditioning strategies designed to improve power, endurance, and movement efficiency
• Gradual return-to-activity programming with emphasis on long-term resilience

Wellness and Recovery Services

We also offer ongoing wellness support to maintain progress beyond formal therapy, including:

• Yoga and guided exercise programs to support flexibility, balance, and mobility
• Compression therapy and recovery modalities to reduce soreness and promote circulation

Request an Appointment Today!

At Hands of Hope, our team has extensive experience treating pickleball-related injuries, and we’ve worked with athletes of all skill levels and ages. 

Don’t let an injury keep you from spending time on the pickleball court. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists!

Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6913863/, https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2020/10000/Pickleball__Review_and_Clinical_Recommendations.8.aspx?context=LatestArticles, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0736467919307991

Swamp Soup

This swamp soup, named for its vibrant green color, is made from a combination of spinach and parsley blended into a silky base, with fiber-rich white beans, shredded chicken and brown rice stirred in for a satisfying texture. A sprinkle of fried garlic and crushed red pepper adds savory crunch and gentle heat to each spoonful.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 4 cups baby spinach
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added white beans, rinsed
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice
• 1 tablespoon fried garlic (such as Maesri) or fried onions

Instructions:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, chopped ginger and minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add 4 cups broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in 4 cups spinach, ½ cup parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes.
• Puree the soup in the saucepan using an immersion blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, working in batches, pour the spinach mixture into a blender. Secure the lid and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Cover with a clean towel and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Use caution when blending hot liquids.)
• Stir in rinsed beans, 1 cup shredded chicken and 1 cup cooked brown rice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup is heated through and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Divide the soup among 4 bowls. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and top with 1 tablespoon fried garlic. Garnish with additional parsley and crushed red pepper, if desired.