Pickleball is a phenomenon taking over parks and gyms throughout the United States. While the low impact sport is helping many people become more active, injuries are skyrocketing. According to a Journal of Emergency Medicine study, pickleball injuries generated over $350 million in medical costs in 2023 alone. 

Thankfully, CBD can help! In this article, we discuss how CBD can help pickleball injuries, speed up recovery, and get you back on the court. 

Common Pickleball Injuries

If you are an avid pickleball player or interested in getting into the sport, understanding how the game affects your body is crucial. Below are the most common injuries we are seeing with the uptick in pickleball play in recent years. 

Sprains and Strains

By far, the most common injuries on the pickleball court are sprained or strained limbs. This includes injuries to the ankles, wrists, lower back, knees, quads, hamstrings and shoulders. Because many pickleballers are performing movements for the first time or have been inactive, they are tweaking areas on their body that haven’t come under pressure. 

Overuse

Repetitive movement and overuse injuries are also affecting pickleball players at alarming rates. The most common overuse condition is pickleball elbow, also known as tennis elbow, which has the medical name lateral epicondylitis. The injury is caused by the striking motion required to play pickleball, resulting in inflammation in the forearm. While stretching and proper mechanics can limit risk, there is a 50% likelihood that racket athletes will experience the condition. 

Contusions

Slipping, falling, and diving are also driving pickleball ER visits. These injuries are also a result of newcomers or aging players overstepping their abilities in the spirit of competition. Thankfully, a fall typically isn’t career-ending for most players and can be made more tolerable with natural topical remedies like CBD. 

Bone Fractures

According to NBC News, pickleball-related bone fractures have increased by 200% over the last 20 years. Wrist fractures are the most common and typically happen when players fall and reach out to catch themselves. Unfortunately, broken bones take a long time to heal and require physical therapy before the player can return to the court. 

Pickleball’s Impact on Elderly Players

While sports injuries have increased overall since pickleball hit the scene around 2019, elderly players are overrepresented. Patients over the age of 50 represent 90% of the most common pickleball injuries. Interestingly, this demographic is less likely to use CBD, even though it could dramatically improve their lives on and off the pickleball court. According to Single Care, Americans between 18 and 29 are the most likely to use CBD, with use decreasing with age. 

How CBD Can Help Pickleball Injuries

While pickleball has helped Americans, especially those from older demographics, become more active, the rise in injuries is concerning. The sport's low-impact nature allows a vast pool of people who otherwise wouldn’t be physically active to participate, solving many common health issues due to inactivity. But if these same people are getting hurt, they may be at risk of returning to old habits. 

This is where CBD can help! The cannabinoid has direct and indirect benefits that can limit recovery time and relieve the pain caused by common pickleball injuries. 

Direct CBD Treatments

CBD has promising direct benefits regarding strains, sprains, and overuse injuries from playing pickleball. For example, pickleball elbow results from repetitive movement, triggering an overwhelming immune response. The forearm becomes inflamed, and the athlete can no longer play comfortably. 

Topical CBD applied directly to the area has the potential to subdue the pain and reduce inflammation, speeding up recovery from common conditions like pickleball elbow, arthritis, and strains and sprains. 

Indirect CBD Treatments

Treating other pickleball injuries like contusions and bone fractures is more complicated. CBD can’t mend bones or heal bruises but helps significantly in recovery. For example, if a pickleballer suffers from a fractured wrist, they will undergo painful physical therapy before being able to play again. Regular CBD use can help the athlete get through exercises and ensure proper sleep, two essential components of recovery. 

Using Topical and Sublingual CBD for Pickleball Injuries

We recommend tackling common pickleball injuries using CBD with a multifaceted approach. Topical and sublingual CBD interact with our bodies differently, helping on different fronts. You can use topical CBD when you feel pain during or immediately after a pickleball game. Sublingual CBD is for maintenance. Regular dosing will boost your endocannabinoid system, preventing over-inflammatory responses, reducing pain, and helping you enjoy quality sleep. 

Pure Science Lab CBD

Utilizing multiple forms of high-quality, 3rd party lab test CBD is easy with Pure Science Lab. Our KannaFreeze topical roller and KannaFreeze pain cream are perfect to keep in your bag to combat pain on the spot. The proprietary blend combines full spectrum CBD with natural pain relievers like menthol and aloe vera to delivery immediate results.

CBD oils like our Full-Spectrum or Sleep-Aid products are ideal for regular dosing. Taking CBD everyday is essential for building a healthy endocannabinoid system. We recommend using the Full Spectrum CBD Oil for daytime use. The oil uses a 10-1 blend of CBD to other cannabinoids to maximize relief. If you have trouble sleeping, we recommend our Sleep Aid Tincture or Sleep Support Gummies. These products combine premium CBD with melatonin for quality sleep, an essential part of the recovery process. 

For more information, visit our website or reach out to one of our CBD experts.