Pickleball Knee Injury: What's Causing Your Pain and How to Treat It
Pickleball has taken South Florida by storm, and we love it. It's social, it's active, and it keeps people moving well into their 60s, 70s, and beyond. But if you've been playing a few times a week, you may have noticed your knees aren't as happy about it as the rest of you.
Pickleball knee injuries are one of the fastest-growing complaints we see at our Lighthouse Point office. Here's what's happening and what you can do about it.
Why Pickleball Is Tough on Knees
Pickleball involves a unique combination of movements that put significant stress on the knee joint:
- Quick lateral cuts and pivots — These create rotational forces through the knee, stressing the meniscus and ligaments
- Repeated bending and squatting — The "kitchen" position requires sustained knee flexion that loads the patellar tendon
- Sudden starts and stops — Hard court surfaces amplify impact forces through the knee with each change of direction
- Playing through fatigue — Most pickleball sessions run long, and as muscles tire, the knee absorbs more impact
Common Pickleball Knee Injuries
Patellar Tendinitis ("Jumper's Knee") Even though there's not much jumping in pickleball, the explosive starts and stops put major demand on the patellar tendon — the thick cord connecting your kneecap to your shin. Over time, this leads to tendon irritation, pain below the kneecap, and stiffness that's worst first thing in the morning.
Meniscus Tears Pivoting and quick directional changes are classic mechanisms for meniscus injuries. Degenerative tears (common in players over 45) can happen from seemingly minor movements.
IT Band Syndrome Repetitive lateral movement inflames the IT band, causing pain on the outside of the knee that typically worsens as you play.
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Sprain The inside of the knee takes stress during lateral cutting. MCL sprains range from mild to severe and can sideline you for weeks if not properly treated.
Treating Pickleball Knee Pain
Most pickleball knee injuries respond very well to conservative care. The key is not waiting too long — the longer you play through pain, the more compensation patterns develop and the harder it becomes to fix.
At McNamara Chiropractic Center, our Knee Restoration Program addresses the full picture: joint mechanics, muscle imbalances, and the movement patterns that are loading your knee incorrectly.
Shockwave Therapy is particularly effective for patellar tendinitis — it stimulates tendon healing in a way that ice and rest simply can't match. For inflammation and acute pain, Class 4 Laser Therapy brings rapid relief.
We also work on hip stability and ankle mobility — two areas that dramatically affect how much stress your knee absorbs during lateral play.
See our guide to knee pain treatment options for more detail.
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Don't sit out the season. Call (954) 943-1100 or visit us at 3320 N. Federal Highway, Suite 101, Lighthouse Point to get back on the court.
Ready to Feel Better?
Call us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Carol McNamara.