Pickleball Treatment Leaders in New Jersey
As the most preferred, recognized, and awarded orthopedic practice in the region, Tri-County Orthopedics is your source for all the world-class bone, joint, and muscle care a pickleball player could need.
Pickleball, like other sports, comes with health and fitness benefits as well as injury risks. Pickleball players, however, are all unique athletes with individual needs that require special attention. After injury, keeping you on the court requires teamwork with experts who have the specialized knowledge and experience to provide the most effective treatment that works for you.
In sports medicine, the athlete is at the center. Their performance goals and return-to-play is a primary factor in the care methods their sports medicine doctor will offer. For pickleball players, finding the right sports medicine doctor is key to getting to highest level of play possible.
At Tri-County Orthopedics, our pickleball injury experts are board-certified, fellowship-trained specialists. They have the highest level of training and recognized expertise in sports medicine, and they stand ready to deliver the treatment and rehabilitation you need. Our experts will team up with you, finding the best possible solution to your pain or limitation, to get back to pickleball and doing what you love.
Our pickleball injury experts at Tri-County Orthopedics are proud to be Pickleball Doctors. Providing expert tips for injury prevention, performance, and more, Pickleball Doctors is a group of elite doctors dedicated to helping you stay on—and dominate—the pickleball court.
Prepare for Pickleball Play & Avoid Injury
As many top doctors say, prevention is the best cure. In the dynamic game of pickleball, players at any level can reduce their risk of injury on the court by working off the court. Strength training, conditioning, and targeted stretches can go a long way in preparing pickleball players for their next match. For your best protection and performance, try following an expert-designed program for your next workout or warm-up.
The Pickleball 10 to Win, from New Jersey’s leaders in treating pickleball injuries at Tri-County Orthopedics, is your complete workout program for playing better pickleball. By using this program, you can improve your game and help prevent injury.
Pickleball 10 to Win
With these 10 targeted exercises, you can improve your flexibility, agility, strength, and endurance to win on the court and stay on the court.
Exercise 1
BEAR HUGS
Step 1. Stand straight and open up your arms, pulling your shoulders back.
Step 2. Bring your arms back in, wrapping them around your chest to pat the back of your shoulders.
Step 3. Repeat quickly 20 times.
For the Win: Do some resistance bear hugs. Hold a resistance band around your back. Then, reach your arms out in front of you like you are hugging someone. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise 2
POGO HOPS
Step 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2. Bend your knees slightly, but keep your posture straight.
Step 3. Keep your feet together and jump up and down in place.
Step 4. Repeat for 30 seconds.
For the Win: Do some single-leg hops. Balance on one leg and hop in place for 30 seconds. Repeat while balancing on your other leg. For better agility training, use a line to hop over from left to right.
Exercise 3
SIDE-LYING LEG LIFTS
Step 1. Lie on your side with your legs straight and one leg on top of the other.
Step 2. Bend your knees slightly and move your top leg toward the sky or ceiling.
Step 3. Lift your leg slowly and lower it slowly.
Step 4. Repeat 10 times on each side.
For the Win: Try resistance leg lifts! While lying on your side, place a resistance band around your legs and above your knees while you complete your leg lifts. For more of a challenge, place the band around your ankles.
Exercise 4
SINGLE-LEG BALANCE
Step 1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Step 2. Lift one foot off the ground. If you need, hold your arms out to help you balance.
Step 3. Hold this position for up to a minute or as long as you can.
Step 4. Repeat on the other side.
For the Win: Do single-leg extensions. Stand on one foot. Lift your other leg, extending it behind you, in front of you, and off to the side. Center your leg before each extension. Repeat 15 times on each side.
Exercise 5
STANDING QUAD STRETCH
Step 1. Stand on one foot and pull the other behind you, holding the ankle.
Step 2. If you need, hold onto something for balance.
Step 3. Pull your heel toward your buttocks, and hold for 30 seconds.
Step 4. Repeat on each side.
For the Win: Do kneeling quad stretches. Kneel on one knee with the opposite foot planted flat in front of you. Push your hips forward and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat for 3 sets on each side.
Exercise 6
ROWS
Step 1. Put a resistance band around a stable surface, like a tree or fence, holding the band in each hand.
Step 2. Stand facing the band with your feet hip-width apart.
Step 3. Pull the band toward you, squeezing your shoulder blades.
Step 4. Return to your starting position.
Step 5. Repeat 15 times.
For the Win: Do some bodyweight rows. Instead of resistance bands, use your body weight. Find a stable horizontal surface, such as a table or bar, and lie underneath it, grasping the surface firmly with both hands. Pull yourself up then lower yourself back down. Repeat 15 times.
Exercise 7
PLANKS
Step 1. Put your hands and knees on the ground, then extend your legs behind you.
Step 2. Support your weight on your forearms and toes.
Step 3. Keep your body straight from your head to your heels.
Step 4. Hold this position as long as you can.
For the Win: Try side planks with resistance in your arms. Support your weight on one foot and forearm. Hold a resistance band in both hands, and extend your free arm toward the sky or ceiling. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Exercise 8
HEEL RAISES
Step 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2. Slowly lift your heels off the ground, rising up onto the balls of your feet.
Step 3. Pause as you get to your tip-toe position, then lower your heels slowly back down to the ground.
Step 4. Repeat 20 times.
For the Win: Try single-leg heel raises. Instead of using both feet, lift one foot off the ground while putting your weight on the other foot and lifting that heel up. Repeat 20 times on each side.
Exercise 9
SQUATS
Step 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2. Lower your hips down and back as if you are sitting down in a chair.
Step 3. Keep your weight on your heels.
Step 4. Return to a standing position.
Step 5. Repeat 10 times.
For the Win: Try single-leg squats. Instead of two feet down as you squat, lift one foot off the ground and extend it in front of you as you lower your hips and return to a standing position. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Exercise 10
LUNGES
Step 1. Stand with feet hip-width apart.
Step 2. Take a big step forward with one foot.
Step 3. Lower your hips down until your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle.
Step 4. Keep your weight on your front heel.
Step 5. Push off your front foot to return to a standing position.
Step 6. Repeat 10 times on each side.
For the Win: Do backward and side lunges. For backward lunges, take a big step backward, lower, and push off your back foot to return to standing. For side lunges, take a step out to the side, lower yourself on that side, and push back up from that foot to return to standing.
When to Be Seen
You should never train or play pickleball—or any sport—when you’re in pain. The wrong injury can keep you off the pickleball court indefinitely. To avoid serious injury, you should be seen by an orthopedic specialist right away.
Our specialists understand that the most effective injury treatment plan requires a precise diagnosis from an experienced doctor. Request an appointment online or call (973) 538-2334 to consult with one of our specialty-trained sports medicine doctors if you experience:
- A fall on the court that resulted in a popping sound or sensation in your arm, wrist, hip, shoulder, back, or knee
- An inability to put weight on your foot, ankle, knee, or leg
- Muscle or joint pain that does not go away after resting and icing
- Pain in your hand, wrist, or forearm when holding your pickleball paddle
- Shoulder, back, neck, or arm pain when swinging your pickleball paddle
- Sudden and persistent pain in a specific area in your back, arms, or legs after playing, especially if it is tender and/or warm to the touch
Common pickleball injuries include:
- Back strains
- Golfer’s elbow
- Hamstring strains
- Herniated or slipped disc
- Knee cartilage and tendon injuries
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Wrist and ankle sprains
Who to See
David M. Epstein, M.D.
David M. Epstein, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports-related injuries of the shoulder, knee, foot, and ankle. His expertise includes nonoperative and operative treatment of shoulder, knee, and ankle disorders. He is a consultant for the New York Jets and a former consulting physician of the United States Tennis Association for the annual US Open Tennis Championships. He currently serves as the team physician for Parsippany High School and assists in the care of many other local high schools.
Who to See
Stephen A. Hunt, M.D.
Stephen A. Hunt, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports-related injuries of the hip, knee, and shoulder. His expertise includes arthroscopic and open-surgical techniques for joint repair, preservation, and reconstruction of the shoulder, hip, and knee. He has been recognized as America's Top Orthopedist in Sports Medicine by the Consumer Research Council and received the Patient's Choice Award for Orthopedic Sports Medicine. He has also been named Top Doc and recognized in the Bone & Joint Select Surgeons listing in New Jersey Monthly magazine.
Who to See
Ian W. Wendel, D.O.
Ian W. Wendel, D.O., is a nonoperative sports medicine and interventional spine specialist. He treats a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions ranging from head to toe, including neck and back pain, ankle and shoulder injuries, as well as various disorders affecting athletes. He has served as a medical tent captain for the New York City Marathon on multiple occasions, and he also sits on the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and serves as a ringside physician for amateur and professional mixed martial arts and boxing events in the state.
Comprehensive Care for Pickleball Players
The treatment that works for you is the treatment that helps you meet your health, fitness, and performance goals at the highest possible level. Our pickleball injury experts at Tri-County Orthopedics have extensive knowledge and experience in the best treatments available for your needs. Our team will work closely with you to determine a diagnosis and the solution that helps you meet your goals and stay active.
With dedicated expertise in the full range of treatments and protocols, our doctors will always recommend conservative, nonsurgical care plans before suggesting surgery. If surgery is necessary, our doctors are skilled in the latest minimally invasive techniques to ensure the safest, fastest, and best overall recovery and experience.
Common Pickleball Treatments
We offer complete, unique care programs for every pickleball player we treat. See the list below for some of the common treatments offered by our pickleball injury experts. To learn more about any of these treatments, click the associated link provided.
Treatments
Dedicated to delivering the care you need when you need it, we proudly offer our Walk-In Clinic for urgent needs in Cedar Knolls. With convenient extended hours, our specialized orthopedic Walk-In Clinic provides prompt, expert treatment for bone, joint, and muscle injuries so you can get back to doing what you love quickly and safely.