Pickleball is highly addictive and incredibly fun, but the repetitive swinging and serving can take a heavy toll on your upper body. Whether you are dealing with a strained shoulder or "pickleball elbow," returning to the court requires a structured approach to prevent further damage. This injury recovery guide breaks down the five phases of recovery, showing how in-home physical therapy can help you restore mobility, regain strength, and safely return to play.
Pickleball is taking the country by storm, but the repetitive nature of swinging a paddle can lead to frustrating upper body injuries. Shoulder strains and elbow pain are incredibly common among players who spend hours on the court. Fortunately, with a physical therapist-guided plan, you can return to the court stronger, more mobile, and ready to play the long game. Here is the five-step rehab and recovery timeline to help you overcome a pickleball injury safely.
A physical therapist should assess the severity of your injury to appropriately guide your recovery and rehab. But in general, during the first few days to a week of recovery, the main goal is getting your pain and inflammation under control. Protecting the joint by avoiding harmful movements, elevating and using compression as needed, and receiving proper education from a physical therapist is crucial. A successful first step is typically being able to perform normal movements without sharp pain and having any visible swelling reduced. Your physical therapist will help you start a safe home exercise program to initiate gentle movements. One of the biggest signs of progress in this early stage is simply being able to sleep through the night without any pain disruption.
Moving into weeks two and three, your physical therapy will focus on improving range of motion through more guided exercises. Your physical therapist may use manual therapy techniques to improve your mobility, reduce muscle tension and pain, and enable your tissues to heal correctly. Progress during this phase looks like restoring full or near-full joint motion in your shoulder or elbow, and ensuring your everyday activities are completely pain-free.
For upper body injuries, this means ensuring your paddle grip strength is fully restored, and your shoulder and core strength are actively improving. Your physical therapist will evaluate your movement to make sure you have no compensatory movement patterns, which means you are not straining your neck or back to make up for a weak elbow or shoulder.
Your therapist will help you work on your groundstroke mechanics and net shots until you are entirely pain-free. They will also carefully assess your overhead and serve motions to guarantee your shoulder can handle the force.
Building adequate endurance for a full game and completing agility drills without hesitation are vital milestones in this phase of your recovery and rehabilitation.
Your last step is making a return to full play. To keep you playing longer, stronger, and smarter, your physical therapist will help you establish a reliable pre-game warm-up routine and a long-term strength maintenance program. Addressing these re-injury risk factors ensures you step back onto the court feeling confident and ready to compete.
Book a visit with a Luna physical therapist today to build your personalized, in-home pickleball recovery and rehab plan.
Recovery typically takes about 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the severity of your injury. Following a structured, five-step physical therapy plan ensures you don't just mask the pain, but actually heal the tissue and rebuild your strength. Rushing back to the court too soon is the most common cause of re-injury, so remember: recovery is a steady rally, not a quick smash!
It is incredibly tempting to jump right back in, but playing through sharp pain can worsen a shoulder strain or elbow injury. During the early stages of recovery, it is best to step away from full matches. As you regain your strength and mobility, your physical therapist will help you safely and gradually reintroduce paddle skills, like dinking and groundstrokes, long before you play a highly competitive game.
Preventing pickleball injuries comes down to proper mechanics and targeted strength. Building up your paddle grip strength and improving your core and shoulder stability takes unnecessary strain off your smaller joints. Additionally, establishing a consistent, dynamic pre-game warm-up routine is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your upper body resilient and pain-free.
Download our physical therapist guided plan for returning to the court stronger, more mobile, and ready to play the long game.
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Joe Valdez, PT, DPT, is a distinguished physical therapist with expertise in orthopedics, sports medicine, lymphedema rehabilitation, and vestibular conditions. He has advanced education in strength and conditioning, lymphedema management, and dry needling. Joe has provided care to thousands of patients in private practice outpatient clinics and currently delivers in-home outpatient physical therapy with Luna.
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Cliff Wolosiansky, PT, DPT, is a highly skilled physical therapist with extensive clinical experience in outpatient orthopedic and vestibular rehabilitation. Since earning his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, Cliff has developed his expertise at NovaCare and Carolina Physical Therapy Associates, treating a wide range of orthopedic injuries and neurological disorders. His comprehensive background reflects a strong foundation in clinical care and a commitment to helping patients achieve lasting recovery.
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Ashley Zuber, PT, DPT, formerly known as Ashley Aliberti, earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Cleveland State University in 2019 and has been practicing in outpatient care since graduation. For the past four years, she has partnered with Luna to support fellow physical therapists who are experiencing burnout. She helps clinicians reignite their passion for the profession and find renewed purpose in patient care. Ashley focuses on empowering therapists with flexible and sustainable career options that align with their personal and professional goals.
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