The Mobility Doctor

Why Ankle Sprains are Common in Pickleball

Pickleball has become increasingly popular over the years. According to a Google search, there are 31 pickleball courts in Shreveport alone. I believe that number is actually hired and know that there are more being built at the Boardwalk and other locations. 

Pickleball is a generational sport that can be played from 12 to 112. It is a fairly easy sport to get started in, but can still produce some nasty injuries. Pickleball injuries range from fractures to sprains, from falls to concussions. There is a lot of lateral movement, sprinting, and backpedaling that can increase your risk of injury. 

These lateral movements, backpedaling, and sudden pivots when going after the ball can put your ankles at risk even if they are properly strengthened and mobile. But, if you are just bouncing onto the court, you are really at risk. 

Ankle sprains can be simple and heal quickly if just a minor sprain, but they can also lead to days or even weeks off the court if they are bad enough. Spraining your ankle can really mess up your game and keep you from enjoying your new found obsession and keep you from your pickleball pals. 

Essential Tips for Preventing Ankle Sprains

Warm-Up Like a Pro

Actively warming up your body before playing in a pickleball match is important to preventing ankle sprains from knocking you off the court. You can lower your risk of ankle sprain by simply performing just a few exercises before getting started.

Sitting Ankle Circles: sitting with your feet lifting off the ground and rotate your ankles clockwise and then counterclockwise. Do each direction 10-20 reps. 

Standing Heel Raises: standing with your knees straight, raise up on your toes. 20 reps

Standing Toe Raises: standing with your knees straight, raise up on your heels. 20 reps

Lateral Lunges: side to side walking with a slight squat. 10 reps each direction

Standing Squats: feet shoulder width apart, squat down to a comfortable range and back up. 10-20 reps

These exercises will start to circulate blood flow to the body parts that are about to do the heavy lifting. They will also improve the mobility of your legs and ankles, decreasing your chances of having an injury on the court. If you do them regularly and eventually add resistance, they will strengthen your legs and improve your balance – thus improving your game! Win! Win! Win!

Build a Strong Foundation: Key Strengthening Exercises

Building ankle strength helps in preventing ankle sprains. Strengthening your ankles enhances proprioception, which is your body’s ability to sense its position in space. Strong ankle muscles improve stability and help you make small adjustments in balance automatically, reducing the risk of missteps and falls. When you work on ankle stability, the nerves and muscles around the joint become more responsive, allowing you to feel and react to changes in surface or movement more quickly. 

Lateral Walk: resistance band around ankles, take a wide step to the side and bring the other foot towards it. Do 5 steps each direction and do 5 reps each.

Gas Pedals: sitting in a chair with a resistance band around your toes and the other side in your hand, press down like pressing the gas pedal. Do 10-20 reps, 3 sets. 

Ankle Windshield Wipers: resistance band around your ankle and holding the band to the outside of your ankle, turn your ankle inside. Then, hold the band on the inside of your ankle and turn it out. Do 10-20 reps, 3 sets. 

Single-leg Stance: Stand on one leg for 30 sec and then switch sides. Repeat 3 times on each side. Increase difficulty by moving your arms up and down or by closing your eyes. Maybe don’t do this at the same time unless you are advanced. 

Choose the Right Footwear

The best shoes are supportive and non-slip shoes designed for lateral movements. Running shoes are not the best due to their lack of support. Instead of spending much time on shoes, I linked a recent article here. 

Practice Smart Movement Techniques

Avoiding sudden movements on the court can also help decrease the risk of ankle sprains. Mentally play out the game in your head before playing. Think about your next shot and your opponent’s return shot. Stand in a staggered, athletic stance so you can move more easily while tracking the ball. Keeping a centered and low base of support will help you not to overextend yourself and lunge too far when returning shots. 

Recovery Tips: What to Do if You Do Sprain Your Ankle

P.R.I.C.E. Method 

Protect: protect your ankle by bracing, stopping play, using more supportive shoes

Rest: it may be necessary to stop playing and rest for a couple of days

Ice: wrapping your ankle with an ice pack or ice will help keep the swelling down

Pro Tip: when icing, you have to leave it on. It will go through this phase: coldness, burning, aching, numbness. It takes about 5 minutes for it to feel numb. If you keep taking it off every time it starts to burn, it will never get numb and help the pain. 

Compression: ace wrap, tape, aircast 

Elevation: raise your ankle above your heart for 15-30 mins after injury

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, and Enjoy the Game!

Pickleball is a great sport! I fell in love with it while playing with my then 9 year old son in our driveway about a year ago. It has a very low entry point. Anyone can go buy a paddle and be playing in 5 minutes. It is a great way to build community and decrease social isolation. After you fall in love with this sport, please take some time to make sure your body is strong enough and moving well enough to keep you from having serious injuries. 

By strengthening your body and playing smart, you’re investing in a future filled with vitality, friendship, and countless games. So get out there, stay strong, and keep making memories—one game at a time!

Dr. Jeremy Sutton, PT, DPT, Cert DN Healthy SBC, LLC