I'm in the healing process of Achilles Tendonitis. Been out a month now. Slowly getting stronger. How should I adjust my pickleball game coming back once healed? 3.5 rating.
- Ted
Hi Ted, Great question. I recently underwent the same experience and here’s what helped the most:
Warm up
A good dynamic warm-up is always important, but even more so when you are recovering from an injury. Start by getting the blood flowing with some very easy side steps around the pickleball court, then transition into some leg swings, ankle rolls, and calf raises.
The goal is to progressively put your Achilles through its full range of motion at a speed that resembles the pace of the game. Avoid holding a long stretch before it’s very warm as this can actually weaken the tendon.
Tempo
The name of the game for the next few months is going to be controlling the tempo of your pickleball game. If you often drive 3rd balls and attack in transition, now it’s time to drop and reset. If you typically attack early and often at the kitchen, now you must be more patient and look to win with dink placement and consistency.
Avoiding chaos is the best way to stop yourself from having to react very quickly, which in turn will prevent you needing to push off hard from your weakened Achilles.
Positioning
When you are up at the pickleball kitchen, make sure you are staying close to the line. This will avoid unnecessarily large lunges forward to retrieve short balls or net cords. Those lunges put a lot of strain on the Achilles so small steps and closer proximity will help maintain a safe range of motion.
Movement
Forward movement is the main pattern that needs to be controlled, so try to focus on early split steps to help you stay balanced and avoid a lot of pivoting motions. Look to keep your center of gravity between your stance as often as possible so that you rarely need to suddenly catch your balance with a quick explosive step.
Ultimately, let pain be your guide — soreness is OK but sharp pain is not. I hope you are also implementing a solid rehab program to complement a safe return to the game. Please be sure to take a few days off every week and remember that recovery is never a straight line, there will be ups and downs. But there is good news: much of the advice above will be great for your game anyway and who knows if you would have taken it if an injury didn’t necessitate it.
Thanks again for the great question, best of luck with your recovery!
- Morgan Evans
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