(570) 421-7020
Using a team approach to providing you with exceptional orthopedic care, Mountain Valley Orthopedics is your ultimate destination for all the comprehensive bone, joint, and muscle care a pickleball player could need.
Since 1991, Mountain Valley Orthopedics has been dedicated to serving the strong community of athletes and active individuals throughout the Pocono Mountains region. Within the realm of pickleball, we take immense pride in delivering unparalleled bone, joint, and muscle care, ensuring that everyone—from the casual player to the seasoned pro—is equipped to thrive on the court.
Pickleball, with its unique blend of health benefits and injury risks, demands a proactive approach to wellness. In the event of an injury, navigating a swift and effective recovery requires the guidance of seasoned professionals with the expertise and insight to tailor treatments to your specific needs.
Here at Mountain Valley Orthopedics, our team of pickleball injury specialists holds exceptional expertise in sports-related injuries. Through personalized care and rehabilitation programs, our doctors are committed to alleviating pain and minimizing limitations, empowering you to reclaim your spot on the pickleball court and keep the healthy lifestyle you deserve.
Our pickleball injury experts at Mountain Valley Orthopedics are proud to be Pickleball Doctors. Providing expert tips for injury prevention, performance, and more, Pickleball Doctors is a group of elite doctors dedicated to helping you stay on—and dominate—the pickleball court.
Peak Pickleball Performance & Injury Prevention
In the fast-paced world of pickleball, the key to success lies in prioritizing both health and safety. Regardless of skill level, players can significantly reduce on-court injury risks through dedicated off-court preparations. Activities such as strength training, conditioning, and targeted stretching are instrumental in priming pickleball enthusiasts for their upcoming matches. For those seeking optimal protection and performance, our tailored program can help.
The Pickleball 10 to Win, designed by Poconos' leaders in treating pickleball injuries at Mountain Valley Orthopedics, is your complete workout program for playing better pickleball. Using this program, you can help prevent injury and improve your game.
Pickleball 10 to Win
Use these targeted exercises to improve your flexibility, agility, strength, and endurance and stay on the court.
Exercise 1
BEAR HUGS
Step 1. Stand straight or lie on your back and open up your arms, pulling your shoulders back to broaden your chest.
Step 2. Bring your arms back in, wrapping them around your chest, and pat the back of your shoulders.
Step 3. Repeat quickly 20 times.
For the Win: Do some resistance bear hugs. Hold a resistance band around your back. Then, reach your arms out in front of you like you are hugging someone. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise 2
POGO HOPS
Step 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2. Bend your knees slightly, but keep your posture straight.
Step 3. Keep your feet together and jump up and down in place.
Step 4. Repeat for 30 seconds.
For the Win: Do some single-leg hops. Balance on one leg and hop in place for 30 seconds. Repeat while balancing on your other leg. For better agility training, use a line to hop over from left to right.
Exercise 3
SIDE-LYING LEG LIFTS
Step 1. Lie on your side with your legs straight and one leg on top of the other.
Step 2. Bend your knees slightly and move your top leg toward the sky or ceiling.
Step 3. Lift your leg slowly and lower it slowly.
Step 4. Repeat 10 times on each side.
For the Win: Try resistance leg lifts! While lying on your side, place a resistance band around your legs and above your knees while you complete your leg lifts. For more of a challenge, place the band around your ankles.
Exercise 4
SINGLE-LEG BALANCE
Step 1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Step 2. Lift one foot off the ground. If you need, hold your arms out to help you balance.
Step 3. Hold this position for up to a minute or as long as you can.
Step 4. Repeat on the other side.
For the Win: Do single-leg extensions. Stand on one foot. Lift your other leg, extending it behind you, in front of you, and off to the side. Center your leg before each extension. Repeat 15 times on each side.
Exercise 5
STANDING QUAD STRETCH
Step 1. Stand on one foot and pull the other behind you, holding the ankle.
Step 2. If you need, hold onto something for balance.
Step 3. Pull your heel toward your buttocks, and hold for 30 seconds.
Step 4. Repeat for 3 sets on each side.
For the Win: Do kneeling quad stretches. Kneel on one knee with the opposite foot planted flat in front of you. Push your hips forward and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat for 3 sets on each side.
Exercise 6
ROWS
Step 1. Put a resistance band around a stable surface, like a tree or fence, holding the band in each hand.
Step 2. Stand facing the band with your feet hip-width apart.
Step 3. Pull the band toward you, squeezing your shoulder blades.
Step 4. Return to your starting position.
Step 5. Repeat 15 times.
For the Win: Do some bodyweight rows. Instead of resistance bands, use your body weight. Find a stable horizontal surface, such as a table or bar, and lie underneath it, grasping the surface firmly with both hands. Pull yourself up then lower yourself back down. Repeat 15 times.
Exercise 7
PLANKS
Step 1. Put your hands and knees on the ground, then extend your legs behind you.
Step 2. Support your weight on your forearms and toes.
Step 3. Keep your body straight from your head to your heels.
Step 4. Hold this position as long as you can.
For the Win: Try side planks with resistance in your arms. Support your weight on one foot and forearm. Hold a resistance band in both hands, and extend your free arm toward the sky or ceiling. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Exercise 8
HEEL RAISES
Step 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2. Slowly lift your heels off the ground, rising up onto the balls of your feet.
Step 3. Pause as you get to your tip-toe position, then lower your heels slowly back down to the ground.
Step 4. Repeat 20 times.
For the Win: Try single-leg heel raises. Instead of using both feet, lift one foot off the ground while putting your weight on the other foot and lifting that heel up. Repeat 20 times on each side.
Exercise 9
SQUATS
Step 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2. Lower your hips down and back as if you are sitting down in a chair.
Step 3. Keep your weight on your heels.
Step 4. Return to a standing position.
Step 5. Repeat 10 times.
For the Win: Try single-leg squats. Instead of two feet down as you squat, lift one foot off the ground and extend it in front of you as you lower your hips and return to a standing position. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Exercise 10
LUNGES
Step 1. Stand with feet hip-width apart.
Step 2. Take a big step forward with one foot.
Step 3. Lower your hips down until your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle.
Step 4. Keep your weight on your front heel.
Step 5. Push off your front foot to return to a standing position.
Step 6. Repeat 10 times on each side.
For the Win: Do backward and side lunges. For backward lunges, take a big step backward, lower, and push off your back foot to return to standing. For side lunges, take a step out to the side, lower yourself on that side, and push back up from that foot to return to standing.
Know When to See an Expert
If you find yourself injured or in pain, it's crucial to refrain from engaging in pickleball—or any sport, for that matter. Even seemingly minor injuries can make existing issues worse, delaying or derailing your recovery process. Seeking prompt consultation with an orthopedic specialist is paramount to warding off potential complications.
Our team understands that effective injury management hinges on precise evaluation and immediate intervention from a seasoned expert. Schedule an appointment online or call (570) 421-7020 to consult with one of our orthopedic and sports medicine doctors if you experience:
- A fall accompanied by a popping sensation in the wrist, arm, hip, shoulder, back, or knee
- Back, neck, shoulder, or arm pain during paddle swings
- Inability to bear weight on the leg, knee, or foot
- Pain in the hand, wrist, or forearm while holding the pickleball paddle
- Persistent muscle or joint pain after rest and icing
- Sudden, persistent pain in specific regions of the back, arms, or legs after playing
Pickleball injuries span a wide spectrum, with some of the most common including:
- Golfer’s elbow
- Herniated or slipped discs
- Injuries to knee cartilage or tendons
- Pickleball elbow, also called tennis elbow
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rotator cuff tears and other injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Wrist and ankle injuries
Frederick J. Barnes, M.D.
Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Frederick Barnes offers specialized care for bone, joint, and muscle needs, from sports injuries to carpal tunnel syndrome. With extensive experience and focus in hand and upper extremity care, Dr. Barnes serves as a general orthopedic surgeon in East Stroudsburg, Tobyhanna, Brodheadsville, and Milford, Pennsylvania.
Maurizio Cibischino, M.D.
A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Dr. Cibischino received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (Rutgers) Medical School. He served as administrative chief resident in orthopedic surgery at the university. He completed a one-year accredited fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at Kentucky Sports Medicine, in Lexington, Kentucky. He is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and is on active staff at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono.
Roger Componovo, M.D.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Dr. Componovo received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed his five-year residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Componovo achieved his fellowship in adult joint reconstruction at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Componovo specializes in total hip and knee replacement surgery, including minimally invasive and partial knee replacements.
Patrick R. McDonald, D.P.M.
Dr. Patrick McDonald is a highly trained and board-certified ankle and foot surgeon serving area patients in East Stroudsburg, Tobyhanna, Brodheadsville, and Milford. He provides specialized care for common and complex issues of the feet and ankles. His expertise includes ankle and foot fracture care, total ankle replacement surgery, ankle and foot deformity correction surgery, and minimally invasive arthroscopic ankle and foot surgery.
John A. Paglia, M.D.
A graduate of Georgetown Medical School, Dr. Paglia completed one year of general surgical training and four years of orthopedic surgical training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (Rutgers) Medical School, a Level I Trauma Center. He served as chief resident in orthopedic surgery at the university. Dr. Paglia is board-certified in orthopedic surgery, a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and served as the Chief of the Department of Orthopedics at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono.
Laszlo Szollas, M.D.
Dr. Laszlo Szollas is a fellowship-trained pain management expert who joined Mountain Valley Orthopedics in September 2016. He attended medical school at Semmelweis University Medical School in Budapest, Hungary, and went on to complete his anesthesiology residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Szollas underwent additional training in pain medicine by completing a fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center. He is certified by The American Board of Anesthesiology. He treats patients with neck and back pain and all other chronic pain conditions.
Allister R. Williams, M.D.
A graduate of Brown University, Dr. Williams received his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina where he also completed his orthopedic surgery training. He served as chief resident in orthopedic surgery at the university hospital. Dr. Williams then completed a combined neurosurgical and orthopedic spinal surgery fellowship at Yale University. Dr. Williams is currently on active staff, serves as the head of the spine surgery service at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Exceptional Care for Pickleball Players
Achieving your health, fitness, and performance goals involves a treatment plan designed specifically for you. At Mountain Valley Orthopedics, our pickleball experts have extensive knowledge and experience to offer optimal solutions for your individual needs.
Our skilled doctors specialize in a wide range of treatments and prioritize conservative, nonsurgical options before considering surgery. If surgery becomes necessary, our experts are proficient in the latest minimally invasive techniques, ensuring a safe, speedy, and overall excellent recovery experience.
Regularly Seen Pickleball Injuries & Treatments
We provide comprehensive and personalized care plans for each pickleball player under our treatment. The list below is typical injuries encountered by pickleball players and the corresponding treatments recommended by our specialized pickleball injury experts. For additional details, click on the associated link.
Conditions
If you’re injured on or off the pickleball court, skip the emergency room and be seen right away at our Injury Care Clinic. There, we provide immediate treatment for patients suffering from acute orthopedic injuries and conditions.