Smart preparation, sound technique, and good recovery habits can help players enjoy tennis, pickleball, padel, and racquetball with fewer setbacks. And did you know that a 25-year study concluded that playing court sports can increase your life expectancy by nearly 10 years?
Racquet sports offer a fantastic blend of cardiovascular fitness, agility, balance, and community. However, sudden stops, rapid lunges, overhead smashes, and rotational forces can take a toll on unprepared joints and muscles. Ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, shoulder impingement, tennis elbow, knee discomfort, and lower back strain are common court culprits, yet most of these injuries are preventable.
By building a few consistent habits into your routine, you can keep your body healthy and stay on the court all season long.
Warm Up First
Cold muscles and stiff tendons are far more vulnerable to tears and strains. Dedicate 5 to 10 minutes to gradually increase your heart rate and body temperature:
• Light Cardio – Start with brisk walking, bike ride or simply jogging in place.
• Dynamic Movement – Transition into sport-specific motions: side steps, walking lunges, arm circles, torso twists, and controlled shadow swings.
• Save Static Stretching Until Cool Down – Hold long, stationary stretches after your match, when muscles and connective tissues are warm and pliable.
Gear Up
Running shoes are built strictly for forward motion and lack the lateral reinforcement required for quick directional changes.
• Court Shoes: Invest in true court shoes designed with firm lateral sidewalls, dense cushioning, and non-marking traction to protect against rolled ankles. Regular players (getting in games 1-2 times a week) should change shoes every six weeks.
• Grip Size: Check your paddle or racquet grip. A grip that is too thick or too thin forces your forearm to overcompensate, significantly increasing the risk of tennis or golfer’s elbow. Coaches recommend usually using a grip tightness of about 3 of 5.
• Eye Protection: In fast-paced or close-kitchen play, especially in racquetball, squash, or fast-volley pickleball, shatterproof eyewear is essential insurance.
Build Off-Court Strength and Mobility
Strong legs, hips, core, shoulders, and forearms help absorb the demands of repeated strokes and quick court movement. Add exercises such as calf raises, squats, lunges, glute bridges, planks, single-leg balance drills, and light resistance-band shoulder work to your weekly routine. Better balance and joint control can help reduce falls, awkward landings, and overuse stress.
Your body absorbs forces from the ground up through your legs, hips, and core before transferring power into your arms. The demands of these repeated strokes and quick movements can jar and jostle. Maintaining strong legs, hips, shoulders, arms, and our power centers, the core, not only makes us better players, but better physically overall.
• Incorporate squats, lunges, calf raises, and glute bridges to strengthen your lower legs and stabilize knees.
• Add planks and rotational core exercises to protect your lower back during twisting strokes.
• Use light resistance bands for external rotator cuff rotations and forearm strengthening to reinforce the shoulder and elbow.
• Incorporate a little one-leg and balance drills to reduce falls and stay spry.
Prioritize Technique Over Pure Power
Do you think Roger Federer or Ben Johns make sloppy shots? No. Poor mechanics make bad shots that put excessive torque on the wrist, elbow, and rotator cuff.
If you are taking up a new sport, or returning to the courts after time away, invest in a lesson or clinic. Our professional on-site coaches can help with the essentials of grip, swing path, footwork, serve mechanics, and court positioning. Refining your footwork, contact point, and follow-through not only protects your joints, but also produces cleaner, more consistent shots with less effort.
Ramp Up Gradually
The most common court injuries stem from "too much, too soon", such as doubling the playing days in a single week or jumping straight into back-to-back tournament matches. Increase your court time progressively and build in regular rest days. If you experience sharp pain, swelling, joint instability, or numbness, step off the court and consult a medical professional rather than trying to play through it.
Hydrate and Prioritize Recovery
• Fluid Balance: Begin hydrating well before you arrive at the court, sip electrolyte water throughout play, and replenish fluids afterwards, especially in our warm, humid weather.
• Active Cool-Down: Spend 5 minutes walking easy and gently stretching your calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, and forearms.
• Rest: Adequate sleep and nutrition are where the actual tissue repair takes place. Consistent rest prevents minor inflammation from turning into chronic tendinitis.
Quick Court-Safety Checklist
• Spend 5–10 minutes on dynamic warm-ups before stepping on the court.
• Wear sports-specific court shoes with strong lateral support.
• Check your grip size and replace worn, slippery over grips.
• Wear protective eyewear during fast, close-range play.
• Incorporate strength and balance training during the week.
• Increase match frequency and intensity gradually.
• Listen to early warning signs: rest, ice, and recover when something hurts.
A few mindful minutes of preparation before and after each session ensure that racquet sports remain a fun, lifelong source of health and fitness.
Pickleball Committee Update – A Huge Thank You for Two
As we all know, our success in this community is very much dependent on the many, many volunteers that work tirelessly to ensure that everything runs smoothly. I wanted to recognize two volunteers from the pickleball committee who are leaving the committee and have been very instrumental in keeping the pickleball community here at BSM running smoothly.
Sid Smith has served on the Pickleball Committee for the last 2 1/2 years, serving in many capacities including teaching the Introduction to Pickleball classes and teaching and training members on the use of the pickleball machine. Sid has been making things happen on the pickleball courts for the last nine years when we first started playing pickleball at BSM.
Peter Feldhusen has also served on the Pickleball Committee for the last two years serving as the Treasurer. In addition, Peter was also instrumental in teaching the Introduction to Pickleball classes to newcomers as well as regularly contributing to the running of our tournaments.
Both Sid and Peter will be missed as they step down from their official duties on the Pickleball Committee, but we know they will still be around and willing to help as needed.
