Statistics show 68% of pickleball players get injured every year.
Discover why it happens on St. Catharines courts and how local sports chiropractors stop pain fast – without drugs or surgery.
Pickleball is everywhere in St. Catharines right now. Courts at the Seymour-Hannah Sportsplex, Merritton Lions Club, and
indoor winter leagues are packed from morning to night. But with the boom comes a painful truth: 68% of players experience at
least one injury in a 12-month period, and 40.8% have to stop playing because of it (NIH, 2025). In Niagara, emergency rooms
and chiropractic clinics are seeing the same story again and again – "I was fine… then one more game and I couldn’t move my
shoulder/elbow/knee.” The hidden reason? Passion is outrunning preparation.
Dr. David Harper, one of Niagara’s leading sports chiropractors at Maverick Health in St. Catharines, puts it bluntly: "Most
pickleball injuries aren’t bad luck – they’re a signal your body is asking for help before the problem becomes a big one.” His
workshop data shows the four biggest culprits: Lack of proper warm-up and conditioning.
- Wrong shoes (running shoes on courts = disaster)
- Overuse – the infamous "one more game” syndrome
- Poor movement patterns and old postural habits
The good news?
These are 100% preventable and highly treatable – especially when you work with a chiropractor who actually understands the
sideways cuts, repetitive swings, and quick stops unique to pickleball.
The Most Common Pickleball Injuries Hitting St. Catharines Players Right Now
- Pickleball Elbow (lateral epicondylitis) – now rivals tennis elbow in frequency
- Shoulder impingement & rotator cuff strain – 38% of players over 50 report pain
- Ankle sprains – court shoes reduce risk by 2.5×, yet most players still wear runners
- Lower back & hip tightness – limited rotation triples low-back pain risk
- Achilles & plantar fasciitis – "one more game” fatigue is the #1 trigger
How St. Catharines Chiropractors Fix Pickleball Injuries (Drug-Free)
Evidence-based chiropractors in the Niagara region use a combination of spinal and extremity adjustments, soft-tissue therapy
(Myofascial Release), and Specific Muscle testing (Applied Kinesiology), and custom rehab plans to get players back on the court
faster than rest alone. Dr. David Harper of Maverick Health Centre specializes in pickleball and racquet-sport injuries,
movement screening, Triple 7 Framework recovery plans, and Red Light Therapy for stubborn tendon pain.
Maverick Health Centre is regulated by the College of Chiropractors of Ontario and most plans (Sun Life, Manulife, Great-West
Life, etc.) cover treatment.
Your 3-Step Plan to Stay on the Court All Season Get Screened Before You’re Hurt:
A 30-minute movement and posture assessment catches the "silent” problems (tight hips, weak glutes, forward head posture) that
lead to 80% of overuse injuries.
Follow the Triple 7 Framework – Prepare (dynamic warm-up), Perform (smart pacing), Prevent (structured recovery). Players who do
this cut injury risk by up to 36%.
Book the Right Chiropractor Fast – Don’t wait until you’re limping. Early intervention turns a 6-week layoff into a 1–2 week
fix.
Pickleball isn’t just exercise in St. Catharines – it is community, laughter and for many, the highlight of the week. Don’t let an
avoidable injury steal that from you. Give Dr. Harper a call today. Your paddle (and your doubles partner) will thank you.