Can a Chiropractor in Jacksonville Help with Pickleball Injuries?

Yes, and pickleball injuries have become one of the more common things we treat at Full Swing Healthcare. The sport has a large and growing player base in Jacksonville, and the combination of rapid direction changes, repetitive paddle mechanics, and the demographics it attracts creates a consistent injury pattern we know well.

What We See Most

Lateral elbow pain from the paddle mechanics is the most common complaint. The extensor tendon at the lateral epicondyle takes significant load from the dinking and blocking game, and it becomes tendinotic in players who do not give it adequate recovery. Medial elbow pain from the serve and smash is also frequent. Knee pain from the lateral shuffle and kitchen line movement is common in players over 50 who may have pre-existing joint changes that alter how the knee absorbs those loads.

Shoulder pain from the overhead smash and the reach mechanics, Achilles and calf pain from the explosive push-off, and low back pain from the forward-flexed ready position are all things we see regularly from the pickleball community.

Why These Injuries Stick Around

Pickleball players tend to play through pain rather than rest, partly because the social component of the game is a significant motivator. By the time they come to us, the elbow tendinopathy is chronic, the knee is persistently irritated, and conservative rest-and-ice approaches have already failed. That is exactly the context where shockwave therapy for the tendon conditions and chiropractic assessment of the mechanical contributors produces the best results.

A Patient Example

A 61-year-old patient from the Ponte Vedra area had been playing pickleball for nine months and had developed lateral elbow pain and right knee pain from the lateral lunge to the kitchen line. Dr. Muren identified extensor tendinopathy at the elbow and a medial knee stress pattern driven by hip mechanics. We ran shockwave for the elbow and corrected the hip mechanics that were loading the knee asymmetrically. Four weeks later he was back on the court without restriction.

Call (904) 539-3352. 13770 Beach Blvd #4, Jacksonville FL 32224.

Written by

Dr. Cody Muren, DC

Doctor of Chiropractic · Certified Acupuncturist