Doc, Coach Serve Up Pickleball Insights and Health Benefits of Low-Impact Sports

As we age, staying active is essential for maintaining muscle and joint health, and overall mobility. However, many traditional high-impact sports can be tough on our joints, leading to wear and tear, inflammation, and even serious injury.

This is where sports like pickleball come into play. A popular game that’s been gaining momentum across all age groups, pickleball is a ideal way to stay active without putting excessive strain on your body, especially your joints.

Alex Mafdali, M.D., a primary care sports medicine physician with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care, recently exchanged several serves and a healthy dose of conversation with pickleball coach Tyler Stroyek while playing pickleball, a sport they both enjoy.

As they exchanged thoughts on their love for the game, Dr. Mafdali shared his expert insights into how low-impact sports like pickleball can benefit muscle and joint health. Throughout their game, they discussed the science behind staying active, preventing injuries, and the positive effects of pickleball on mobility, strength, and flexibility.

Why Low-Impact Sports Are Beneficial for Joint Health

Dr. Mafdali explains that the main reason low-impact sports are beneficial is that they reduce the force placed on the joints during activity. “It’s a sport that is accessible for everyone. And it really gets a lot of people out there and getting active. People from all different ages can pick it up at different skill levels.”

Low-impact sporting activities like pickleball can help someone “remain flexible, remain coordinated, and keep good balance and posture so you don't end up being hunched over later in life,” explains Dr. Mafdali.

Pickleball, for example, involves a lot of lateral (side-to-side) movements rather than the jarring forward motions seen in running or tennis. This difference in movement helps reduce the risk of joint stress. With its smaller court and slower pace, pickleball allows players to engage in dynamic, full-body movements while still giving the joints a break from the heavy pounding that high-impact sports can deliver.

Pickleball and the Aging Population

One of the primary reasons pickleball is becoming so popular is because it’s a sport that people of all ages can enjoy. Whether you’re in your 20s or 70s, pickleball provides a level of accessibility that many other sports lack. This is particularly important for older adults who are looking for ways to stay active without straining their joints.

“I feel like pickleball really took off during COVID and then it just skyrocketed because it's just so easy and accessible,” said Coach Stroyek. “There's a low barrier to entry. Anyone can pick it up after two or three good sessions, and it's just so much easier. With tennis, you have to spend months and months trying to get good and master it to actually have a good rally. But with pickleball, we're out here right now. We could be playing once or twice, and we're going to have fun and get a good rally going.”

Not requiring the intensity of tennis makes pickleball the better option. “People are looking to get more active without expending too much energy,” said Dr. Mafdali. “And I think pickleball is right in that middle ground where people can have a good time, be competitive, have a light conversation, be social -- but also be active and get their heart rate up.”

Coach Stroyek agrees, adding: “It really does help because pickleball allows people that may have not played sports for a couple years, or maybe have never even played sports, to go out and be active and be mobile. It's going to get more people, compared to a normal sport, to engage in an activity. And I think that's a huge thing.”

The concept of maintaining muscle mass and joint flexibility is critical as we age. When you stay active, muscles do a better job of supporting the joints, helping prevent or lessen the intensity of conditions like osteoarthritis. Pickleball, with its short bursts of movement and requirement for balance and coordination, helps strengthen the muscles around key joints like the knees, hips, and shoulders. This, in turn, can delay the onset of joint degeneration, improving long-term mobility.

However, pickleball injuries do occur, especially among older patients with underlying issues such as arthritis, explains Dr. Mafdali. “I get a lot of ankle sprains,” he said. “People not really looking back when they're backstepping and rolling their ankle. I get overuse injuries of their wrist or their elbow. Some people that have underlying arthritis -- sometimes they're limited by their mobility and their knee pain. I have patients trying to get back to the pickleball court because of knee pain and shoulder, shoulder impingement, and rotator cuff tendonitis.”

Coach Stroyek: “A lot of people end up falling, twisting their ankles. They fall down because they wear running shoes, and running shoes are built for front and backward movement. The tennis and pickleball shoes -- they're built for side-to-side. So, I would highly recommend grabbing a pair of good tennis or pickleball shoes.”

Preventing Injuries Through Proper Warm-Up and Equipment

If you can avoid these types of strains and properly warm up, pickleball provides a full-body workout that targets the major muscle groups. “Pickleball is a way that people can add strength and muscle mass to their body, which no matter what we do, we lose as we age,” said Dr. Mafdali. “But combating that by keeping active and building muscle mass is definitely one way to do it.”

Because pickleball involves a mix of running, pivoting, and reaching, it helps improve flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular health—all while keeping the joints from bearing too much stress. The low-impact nature of the sport reduces the likelihood of severe injuries that commonly occur in high-impact sports. Dr. Mafdali emphasizes that the gentle nature of pickleball makes it ideal for people who want to stay active but may be recovering from an injury or managing chronic conditions.

Even though pickleball is gentler on the joints, it’s still important to take precautions to avoid injury. Dr. Mafdali and Coach Stroyek, both seasoned pickleball players, stress the importance of warming up properly before hitting the court.

“Many players jump straight into the game without adequately warming up their muscles and joints, which can lead to injuries,” says Dr. Mafdali. He suggests that players should spend time preparing their bodies for the quick, lateral movements that pickleball requires. This can include dynamic stretches like knee-ups, butt kicks, and mobility exercises to increase flexibility and improve blood flow.

Dr. Mafdali, who has a history of ankle problems, said he comes prepared. “Sometimes if I know I'm going to have an increased demand, I wear an ankle brace to help my ankle feel more stable and to prevent possibility of re-injuring it.”

Preparation is key, agrees Coach Stroyek. “And that's another big thing -- always coming prepared. Hydration, sunscreen, ankle brace, and knee brace. And make sure that you don't just bring a paddle, but you have all the necessary equipment when you hit the courts.”

How to Get Started Playing Pickleball

Coach Stroyek says that finding a “local ambassador” to help someone get started is not difficult. “You can go out to your local park, your local court -- and nine times out of 10 -- there's going to be someone there that just wants to help grow the game of pickleball. There are a lot of local ambassadors. There are people who will teach you. Make sure to let people know that you're new. There's a lot of rules and nuances in pickleball compared to other sports -- but it's just like riding a bike.”

Ultimately, the key takeaway from Dr. Mafdali’s insights is that staying active is essential for maintaining heart health and mobility along with muscle and joint health. And low-impact sports like pickleball provide a sustainable way of doing just that -- even if you are recovering from an injury or managing a chronic condition.

“It’s all about staying engaged with your body, keeping those joints moving, and avoiding activities that put undue stress on them,” Dr. Mafdali said. “Pickleball is right in that middle ground where people can have a good time, be competitive, have a light conversation, be social  --  but also be active and get their heart rate up.”