Healthy Knees for Pickleball

Healthy Knees for Pickleball

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is now considered the fastest growing sport in America and has gained recent popularity here in the Denver metro area.5 For those who are not familiar with it, Pickleball resembles a miniature tennis court with similar rules and is played with a paddle and wiffle ball.

Pickleball is an athletic endeavor that involves full body movement from the ground up. As we age, it’s important to maintain full strength and mobility of our muscles and joints in order to be able to engage in sporting activities without pain or limitations, and Pickleball is no exception.

Osteoarthritis and Pickleball

One of the conditions that can negatively impact the ability to enjoy sports such as Pickleball and plagues 1 in 7 Americans is Osteoarthritis. The Knee is one of the 3 most common joints to develop Osteoarthritis and the pain from cartilage breakdown can be debilitating. Typically the symptoms in our joints develop slowly over time and can cause swelling, stiffness, and pain.1

Modifiable risk factors in the development of Osteoarthritis in the knees include Obesity, Joint Injury or Overuse, and occupations which require repetitive deep bending. When someone experiences knee pain due to Osteoarthritis, sports such as Pickleball become difficult if not impossible to enjoy.

Our Healthy Knee Protocol

At Spruce Health Group our treatment protocol is built on evidence based therapies1,2,3,4 proven to help patients with Osteoarthritis of the Knees including:

  • CMAT testing – provides information and insight into other related health factors
  • Viscosupplementation and PRP injections – helps to provide cushioning, support, and pain relief for the knee joint
  • Bracing – helps with biomechanical alignment of the knee joint, stability, and pain relief
  • Physical Therapy – manual and exercise therapy help to address underlying faulty movement patterns that contribute to wear and tear and help to prevent further injury
  • Medical Weight Loss – weight reduction under the care of a medical provider

Every day it is a great pleasure to witness happy patients improving in their ability to return to the activities they love and enjoy, including getting back out on the Pickleball court!

If you are interested in Pickleball, but knee pain has become your limiting factor, please give us a call today, and ask about a consultation. We will help to evaluate your condition and determine whether you are a candidate for this program which has helped so many patients feel better, move better, and return to their active lifestyle.

References:

  1. Kelley GA, Kelley KS, Hootman JM, Jones DL. Effects of community-deliverable exercise on pain and physical function in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases: a meta-analysis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2011;63:79-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.20347
  2. Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Rheum 2020: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41142
  3. Migliore, A., Giovannangeli, F. Viscosupplementation in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Arthritis Res Ther 14 (Suppl 2), A10 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/ar3717
  4. Gro Jamtvedt, Kristin Thuve Dahm, Anne Christie, Rikke H Moe, Espen Haavardsholm, Inger Holm, Kåre B Hagen, Physical Therapy Interventions for Patients With Osteoarthritis of the Knee: An Overview of Systematic Reviews, Physical Therapy, Volume 88, Issue 1, 1 January 2008, Pages 123–136, https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20070043
  5. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport for second year in a row. (n.d.). Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://usapickleball.org/news/fastest-growing-sport/