Some Pickleball tips to Improve Your Game!
Pickleball is receiving a lot of interest from many people of all ages. This exhilarating sport combines the best of badminton, ping pong, and tennis. It is fast-moving and you must be quick on your feet. So what does that mean? It means that you must have appropriate footwear and foot care to make sure that you’re playing your best game.!
Once on the court, quick steps, stopping short, moving lateral or vertical all can happen in quick succession. These are also the exact movements that cause the most strain on your feet and legs making it very important to be prepared for the effort. So where to begin?
Proper Footgear
Just like any other sport, proper shoes are a must to support all the movements necessary to excel at Pickleball. Selected shoes must provide excellent ankle protection and have a stiff cage around the foot to prevent midfoot injuries, not to mention traction and explosive lateral movements.
Of course, the shoes must also be the correct size in length and width. Visit your podiatrist for accurate measurements! Top Scottsdale foot and ankle doctor, Dr. Mark Forman, DPM., M.B.A., FAPWCA takes the time needed to assess your feet and relay to you what will help you daily and in Pickleball!
Orthotics
Orthotics are incredibly helpful to provide the needed support throughout your entire foot. Although orthotics can be bought at a drugstore, those are for the average foot and person. Needless to say, they don’t help many people, as we all have different shapes and sized feet. At Put Your Feet First, Dr. Mark Forman and our specialized team uses state-of-the-art technology to scan every minute detail of your feet to create a 3D image. This image is sent to the lab in which the orthotics are created and shipped back to Dr. Forman’s office.
It is a painless and quick process, but brings years of support and comfort. Depending on the amount of activity you average weekly will determine the longevity of the orthotics. Our office can estimate the duration once consulting with you.
Once orthotics are placed in your shoes, you’ll never want to take them off! The support for your balance, stance, and pressure is superb allowing you to stand upright, move quickly, and swing your racket appropriately.
The reason for this is that our manufacturers utilize the best material and are equipped to customize the orthotic to your foot. Customized orthotics help decrease injuries such as plantar fasciitis, ankle injuries, stress fractures, and Achilles tendonitis.
Dr. Mark Forman and others such as , have fully endorsed the use of orthotics as studies have proven their worthiness. It has been documented that orthotics provide the best support across the entire foot allowing for better balance, posture and control.
Socks
Really? Yes, really? Socks are often ignored but very important. Many people focus a lot of their attention on footwear, but what about socks? Socks play a big role in enhancing support while minimizing problems such as plantar warts, blisters, and toenail injuries. Purchasing socks that are tailored to your sport game like Pickleball can help protect your feet from further injuries, allowing you to surpass your opponents!
MLS Laser Treatment
We are thrilled to have the latest state-of-the-art MLS Laser machine in our Scottsdale office. These treatments have been FDA-cleared and have been found to be highly effective. Many sports players find relief with this treatment as it focuses on injured areas. Most injuries result in inflammation, a common symptom from Pickleball and other activities.. The laser penetrates the wounded area decreasing the inflammation by burning off the dead cells and tissues. This allows for new healthy growth to occur.
Treatments are monitored by our highly qualified team. The number of treatments depends on the injury or strain. All treatments last under 10 minutes and patients tend to leave the office feeling better after each session. A consultation with Dr. Mark Forman will determine the number of sessions needed as it is very individualized to your injury. Please contact us at Put Your Feet First to schedule an appointment!
Stretching
Dr. Mark Forman, among podiatrists world-wide, strongly encourages all people, especially sports players to stretch. Most injuries occur due to stiffness and cold muscles before exerting yourself. Stretching exercises must be conducted before and after each activity to help the blood flow throughout the ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
Our feet, ankles, and toes take a toll each and every day as we rely on them to carry us around and help us perform our tasks, including sports activities. We MUST take care of them by stretching them before and after each activity. Visit us at Put Your Feet First to learn which exercises are best, for Pickleball, Golf, Running, Hiking, or any other activity!