Pickleball warm up for knee stiffness

Are your joints achy after every pickleball match? The right warm-up can prevent that stiffness before it starts.

🔬 THE KEY PRINCIPLE
Warming up prepares your body for the impact, running, and rapid movements of pickleball, helping to prevent stiff, achy joints. Perform your warm-up on a flat, hard surface like concrete or a trail rather than grass, since it better mimics the impact of a pickleball court.

🦵 WHO THIS IS FOR
✅ Pickleball players dealing with stiff or achy knees and shoulders
✅ Anyone wanting to prevent joint pain before it starts
✅ Players looking to move more efficiently on the court
✅ Beginners and experienced players building a proper warm-up routine

✅ YOU SHOULD FEEL
During Forward and Backward Running, sit back in your hips and stay hinged rather than tucking your hips underneath you; when stopping on one leg, keep your hips back and open, with feet and knees in neutral alignment. During Side-to-Side Movements, move quickly while keeping feet neutral and weight shifted back into your hips, keeping pressure off your knees. During the Karaoke Drill, step by crossing forward, stepping to the side, crossing back, and stepping to the side, keeping feet facing forward in neutral — misalignment here can lead to knee strain, ankle strain, and IT band issues. For the upper body, roll your arms both backward and forward, swing them in diagonals to prep for pickleball's diagonal hitting, and keep your shoulder blades pressed down and away from your ears throughout. After playing, hold post-game stretches for 30 to 90 seconds. Not seeing improvement? Consult a physical therapist for a personalized program.

This week’s video is: Pickleball Warmup You Should do Before Your Game for your Knees

Here’s what you’ll learn:

🧠 3 warm up exercises you can do before playing pickleball or tennis to prepare your knees for activity

💪 common compensations to avoid while doing these warm ups

🏃 what can you do after playing to reduce knee pain and stiffness the rest of the day

📺 Watch it here: