Do not play on a wet court

I created the Active Life Orthopedics Guides to help the people I can't see in my practice — practical guidance on recovering from orthopedic injuries and conditions — from a triple-board certified orthopedic surgeon — so you can get back to the active life you love. New titles releasing throughout 2026. 📚 Explore the series: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dr.-David-Geier/author/B00HXJ9FUM https://drdavidgeier.com/prevent-pickleball-injury Click the link above for more information about pickleball and other resources to stay healthy and perform your best. Get That Doesn't Have To Hurt FREE! This eBook offers tips that you can take to avoid injuries and perform your best! Plus, learn tips to keep your children safe in sports. http://www.sportsmedicinesimplified.com/that-doesnt-have-to-hurt-ebook Please note: I don't respond to questions and requests for specific medical advice left in the comments to my videos. I receive too many to keep up (several hundred per week), and legally I can't offer specific medical advice to people who aren't my patients (see below). If you want to ask a question about a specific injury you have, leave it in the comments below, and I might answer it in an upcoming Ask Dr. Geier video. If you need more detailed information on your injury, go to my Resources page: https://www.drdavidgeier.com/resources/ The content of this YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/drdavidgeier (“Channel”) is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The Channel may offer health, fitness, nutritional and other such information, but such information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. The content does not and is not intended to convey medical advice and does not constitute the practice of medicine. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. You should consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained on this Channel. You agree that Dr. Geier is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented on the Channel. Dr. David Geier Enterprises, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of the content. USE OF THE CONTENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Pickleball has become popular in recent years. It’s a great source of fun and physical activity. But as I have discussed in another post and video, a pickleball injury can occur. Injuries like ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis or Achilles tendon ruptures, hamstring or quadriceps muscle strains, shoulder impingement and rotator cuff tears and even wrist fractures do occur. If you want to play pickleball regularly, take some simple steps to at least decrease your risk of suffering a pickleball injury. AVOID PLAYING PICKLEBALL ON A WET COURT. It might seem like common sense, but playing pickleball on a wet court sets you up to suffer an injury. Slipping on the wet surface can cause you to have a sprained ankle, Achilles tendon rupture, or many other injuries. Make sure the court is dry before you start playing. WARM UP AND STRETCH BEFORE PLAYING. Just like other sports and exercise, stretching before activity is a good idea before you play pickleball. Take a few minutes and stretch your lower and upper body. Stretch your Achilles tendon and calf muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles in your thigh, your hip and groin muscles, lower back, and your shoulder. WEAR THE CORRECT SHOES. Instead of wearing running shoes that could catch when you plant your foot to change directions, wear the proper court shoes. If you aren’t sure what shoes are best, ask someone experienced in pickleball. You need court shoes that allow you to move around the court in different directions. You must be able to move forward and backpedal without your shoe catching on the floor. The shoe must allow you to slide a little to get to a shot. USE PROTECTIVE EYE WEAR. Wear goggles or some sort of protective eye wear. As in other sports with balls flying through the air, you can get hit in the eye and suffer an injury that causes you to lose vision. GET ACHES AND PAINS FROM A PICKLEBALL INJURY CHECKED OUT. Most of the time, when you have a sore shoulder or ankle without a traumatic injury, it isn’t the result of a serious injury. Often a little rest, modifying activities for a few days, ice or physical therapy can get you back on the court pain free. It can be worthwhile to see a sports medicine doctor to find out what the cause of your pain is soon after it develops so that you can take steps to get better quickly. Plus, you avoid potentially making an injury worse.