Summer is here, and across Stoke-on-Trent, sports courts, fairways and parks are busier than ever. Whether you’ve recently picked up a pickleball paddle for the first time, you’re a seasoned tennis player heading back onto the courts, or you’re a golfer clocking up the miles at one of Staffordshire’s many courses, the warmer months bring a welcome surge in physical activity and, unfortunately, a rise in sports injuries too.
At our chiropractic clinic in Stoke-on-Trent, we see a significant increase in patients presenting with sports-related musculoskeletal complaints every summer. The good news is that most of these injuries are preventable. With the right preparation, technique, and recovery habits, you can enjoy your favourite summer sport without ending up on the treatment table.
In this guide, we cover the most common injuries associated with pickleball, tennis, and golf, and share practical, evidence-informed advice to help you stay on top of your game.
Why Summer Sports Lead to More Injuries
Before diving into sport-specific advice, it’s worth understanding why injury rates tend to spike in summer. After months of reduced activity, many people launch straight into their sport at full intensity without building up gradually. Muscles, tendons, and joints that haven’t been used regularly are far more vulnerable to strain, overuse, and acute injury.
Add in factors like dehydration in the heat, harder outdoor surfaces, and the enthusiasm of playing more frequently, and it becomes clear why a proactive approach matters. A chiropractor can play a key role here, not just in treating injuries, but in assessing movement patterns, identifying imbalances, and providing guidance to reduce your risk before problems develop.
Pickleball Injuries: The UK’s Fastest-Growing Sport
Pickleball has exploded in popularity across the UK, including in Stoke-on-Trent, attracting players of all ages, particularly those who want an accessible, sociable sport that’s easier on the joints than tennis. However, “easier on the joints” doesn’t mean injury-free.
Common Pickleball Injuries
Pickleball Elbow (Lateral Epicondylalgia)
Often compared to tennis elbow, this is one of the most common complaints we see in pickleball players. Repetitive paddle movements place stress on the tendons of the forearm, causing pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow. New players are especially vulnerable because they tend to rely on arm strength rather than correct technique.
Knee Strain and Meniscus Problems
The stop-start nature of pickleball combined with the low, lunging posture required at the “kitchen” (the non-volley zone near the net) places significant demand on the knees. Sudden changes in direction can strain ligaments or aggravate existing knee conditions.
Achilles Tendon Injuries
Explosive push-offs from a standing position put the Achilles tendon under considerable load. Without adequate warm-up and strength in the calf complex, tears and tendinopathy can develop.
Shoulder Overuse
Overhead smashes and repeated serving motions stress the rotator cuff. Over time, this can lead to impingement syndrome or rotator cuff tendinopathy.
How to Prevent Pickleball Injuries
Warm up properly. Spend at least 10 minutes warming up with dynamic movements, leg swings, arm circles, hip rotations, and light footwork, before your first game.
Learn correct technique early. Poor paddle grip and improper stroke mechanics are a leading cause of elbow and shoulder problems. Investing in a few lessons at the outset pays dividends long-term.
Wear appropriate footwear. Court-specific shoes with lateral support are important for protecting ankles and knees during side-to-side movement.
Strengthen your supporting muscles. Hip, glute, and core strength all reduce load on the knees and lower back. Wrist and forearm strengthening exercises can protect against elbow problems.
Don’t play through pain. Pickleball is addictive, and many players ignore early warning signs. Pain is your body’s way of signalling that something needs attention.
If you’re experiencing persistent elbow, shoulder or knee discomfort after pickleball, a chiropractor in Stoke-on-Trent can assess the underlying cause and provide targeted treatment and rehabilitation advice.
Tennis Injuries: Protecting Your Body Through the Season
Tennis remains one of the UK’s most popular summer sports, and Stoke-on-Trent has a thriving club and recreational scene. But the demands of tennis, explosive sprinting, rapid direction changes, overhead serving, and repetitive groundstrokes, make it a sport with a notable injury profile.
Common Tennis Injuries
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylalgia)
Despite being named after the sport, tennis elbow affects far more non-tennis players than tennis players but it’s still extremely common in the game. Backhand technique, grip size, and racket string tension all contribute. Pain, weakness, and tenderness on the outside of the elbow are the hallmark symptoms.
Shoulder Injuries
The service action is one of the most biomechanically demanding movements in sport. Repetitive overhead motions stress the rotator cuff and the labrum (cartilage ring) of the shoulder. Shoulder impingement and rotator cuff tears are common, particularly in players who serve with poor mechanics.
Lower Back Pain
Tennis involves repeated rotation, extension and lateral bending of the spine. Players with inadequate core stability or spinal mobility are prone to facet joint irritation and disc problems.
Ankle Sprains
The rapid lateral movements required on court make ankle sprains one of the most acute injuries in tennis. On grass and clay surfaces in particular, footing can be unpredictable.
Wrist Injuries
Snap on groundstrokes and wrist loading during volleys and serves can lead to wrist tendinopathy or, in more severe cases, ligament tears.
How to Prevent Tennis Injuries
Get your equipment right. Have your grip size and racket string tension assessed. These factors directly influence the load transmitted to your elbow and wrist.
Develop a consistent warm-up routine. A minimum of 10–15 minutes of progressive movement before play, including dynamic stretching and gradual ball-hitting, reduces acute injury risk significantly.
Work on your serve mechanics. Consider occasional coaching sessions to review your technique. This is particularly valuable if you have a history of shoulder or elbow problems.
Strengthen your core and hips. Tennis places high rotational demand on the trunk. Core stability and hip strength help protect the lower back and reduce the load transferred to the upper limb.
Cool down and stretch. Post-match stretching of the forearm extensors, hip flexors, calves and shoulders helps maintain flexibility and reduce muscle soreness.
Allow adequate recovery. Avoid playing every day without rest, especially early in the season when your body is readapting to the demands of the sport.
Chiropractic care for tennis players in Stoke-on-Trent can help address biomechanical inefficiencies in the spine and upper limb that may be predisposing you to injury, as well as supporting recovery from existing conditions.
Golf Injuries: Staying on the Fairway All Summer
Golf may not carry the intensity of racket sports, but it demands exceptional rotational mobility, balance, and consistency of movement and the swing itself is a complex, high-load action repeated dozens of times per round. Golf injuries are extremely common, often developing gradually through overuse rather than a single acute event.
Common Golf Injuries
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is the single most common complaint among golfers of all levels. The golf swing involves rapid rotation and lateral flexion of the lumbar spine, and without adequate thoracic (mid-back) mobility, the lower back compensates. A round of 18 holes can involve 70–100 full swings, a significant cumulative load on the spine.
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylalgia)
While tennis elbow affects the outside of the elbow, golfer’s elbow affects the inside, the medial epicondyle, where the forearm flexor tendons attach. Gripping the club tightly, combined with impact forces at the ball, can irritate and inflame these tendons over time.
Wrist and Hand Injuries
Wrist injuries, particularly on the trail (dominant) side, are common in golfers. Fat shots (striking the ground before the ball) transmit jarring impact forces through the wrist. Hook of hamate fractures, while less common, are a recognised golf-specific injury.
Rotator Cuff Problems
The rotational demands of the downswing and follow-through place repeated stress on the shoulder’s rotator cuff muscles. Impingement and rotator cuff tendinopathy are frequently seen in golfers, particularly those who play frequently or carry their bag.
Hip and Knee Pain
The weight transfer and rotation required in the golf swing places significant demand on the hips, and players with restricted hip mobility, often as a result of prolonged sitting or previous injury, are more vulnerable to groin strain and hip impingement. Knee problems, particularly on the lead leg, are also common.
How to Prevent Golf Injuries
Prioritise thoracic and hip mobility. Many golfers compensate for a stiff mid-back or restricted hips by placing excessive load on their lumbar spine. A chiropractic assessment can identify these restrictions and inform targeted mobility work.
Warm up before the first tee. This doesn’t mean five minutes of full-speed swings on the range. Begin with gentle hip circles, trunk rotations, and progressive swings with a short iron before working up to the driver.
Review your technique with a PGA professional. Swing faults, particularly early extension, over-the-top paths, and excessive lateral sway, significantly increase injury risk.
Strengthen your glutes and core. Weak glutes are associated with a range of golf injuries, from lower back pain to hip impingement. Targeted strengthening can dramatically reduce your injury risk.
Choose the right equipment. Club fitting matters. Shafts that are too stiff or irons that are the wrong length for your posture and swing can contribute to overuse injuries.
Walk rather than ride. Walking the course, rather than using a buggy, distributes the physical activity more evenly and keeps your body warmer throughout the round.
Chiropractic treatment for golfers in Stoke-on-Trent focuses on restoring spinal mobility and joint function, addressing the biomechanical factors that underlie many golf injuries, and helping you swing with greater efficiency and less discomfort.
General Summer Sports Injury Prevention: Key Principles
Regardless of the sport you play, the following principles apply across the board:
Hydration matters more than you think. Even mild dehydration reduces muscle function and increases injury risk. Drink water consistently throughout activity, not just when you feel thirsty.
Don’t ignore warning signs. Persistent aching in a joint or muscle after activity, pain during movement, or swelling are early signs that something needs attention. Seeking advice early prevents minor issues from becoming significant injuries.
Build up gradually. If you’ve had a period of reduced activity over winter or spring, increase your training load progressively, no more than 10% per week is a widely used guideline.
Prioritise sleep and recovery. Soft tissues repair during sleep. Consistently poor sleep impairs recovery and increases injury susceptibility.
Consider a movement assessment. A chiropractic assessment at our Stoke-on-Trent clinic can identify areas of restricted mobility, muscular imbalance, or compensatory movement patterns before they lead to injury.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help Summer Sports Players
Chiropractic care involves the assessment and management of musculoskeletal conditions, that is, problems affecting the muscles, joints, tendons, and nerves. As a regulated healthcare profession in the UK, chiropractors are registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and must meet rigorous professional standards.
For summer sports players, chiropractic care can help in several ways:
Diagnosis and assessment of sports injuries, including joint, muscle, and nerve problems
Manual therapy (including spinal and joint manipulation and mobilisation) to restore movement and reduce pain, where clinically appropriate
Soft tissue treatment to address muscle tension, trigger points, and tendinopathy
Rehabilitation exercise programmes tailored to your sport and your specific injury
Injury prevention advice including sport-specific movement screening
Please note that while chiropractic care can be highly effective for many musculoskeletal conditions, outcomes vary between individuals and are influenced by the nature and severity of your condition. We will always conduct a thorough assessment before recommending any course of treatment and will refer you to another healthcare professional where appropriate.
FAQs: Summer Sports Injuries and Chiropractic Care in Stoke-on-Trent
Can a chiropractor in Stoke-on-Trent help with tennis elbow?
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylalgia) is one of the most common conditions we assess and manage at our Stoke-on-Trent chiropractic clinic. Treatment may include manual therapy to the elbow, wrist, and cervical spine, as well as soft tissue work, load management advice, and a graded rehabilitation exercise programme. The most appropriate approach will depend on the findings of your individual assessment. Most cases of tennis elbow respond well to conservative care, though results vary and recovery timelines differ between individuals.
I’ve had lower back pain since starting golf this summer should I see a chiropractor?
Lower back pain in golfers is one of the most frequent presentations we see. If your pain has persisted beyond a week or two, is worsening, or is significantly affecting your daily life or ability to play, it is worth having it assessed professionally. A chiropractor can examine the spine and hips, identify contributing factors (such as restricted thoracic mobility or hip limitations), and develop a management plan. As a general principle, the sooner musculoskeletal problems are addressed, the better, so don’t put it off. If you have severe pain, pain radiating into your legs, or any associated symptoms such as bladder or bowel changes, please seek medical attention promptly.
Is there a chiropractor near Hanley or Fenton that can help with my pickleball injury?
Yes. Our chiropractic clinic serves patients from across Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding communities, including Hanley and Fenton. Whether you’re coming to us with a new pickleball-related shoulder or elbow injury, or an ongoing problem that’s been flaring up during the summer season, we’d be happy to help. Simply contact us to arrange an assessment at a time that suits you.
Do you see patients from Longton, Burslem or Tunstall?
Absolutely. We regularly see patients from all across Stoke-on-Trent, including Longton, Burslem, Tunstall, Trentham, Meir, and Blurton. If you’re experiencing sports-related pain or discomfort this summer, whether from golf, tennis, pickleball, or any other physical activity, we welcome enquiries from patients throughout the area.
How many chiropractic sessions will I need for a sports injury?
This depends entirely on the nature and severity of your condition, how long you’ve had it, and individual factors such as your age, activity levels, and overall health. During your initial consultation, your chiropractor will provide an honest assessment of what to expect and outline a proposed treatment plan, including the likely number of sessions and timescales. We do not recommend or offer treatment that is not clinically justified.
Can I continue playing my sport while receiving chiropractic treatment?
In many cases, yes, though this depends on the nature of your injury. Your chiropractor will advise you on whether it is safe and beneficial to continue playing, and whether any modifications to your activity are recommended. In some situations, a short period of reduced load or relative rest may be necessary to allow tissues to recover. We aim to support you in returning to your sport as safely and quickly as possible.
Is pickleball safe for older adults?
Pickleball is often promoted as a suitable sport for older adults due to its smaller court size and the slower pace of play compared to tennis. However, like all sports, it carries injury risk and some injuries (such as falls or rapid direction-change injuries) can have more serious consequences in older individuals. If you’re an older adult considering starting pickleball, or if you’ve already experienced an injury, a chiropractic assessment can help identify any movement limitations or risk factors worth addressing before or alongside your play.
Visiting City Chiropractic Stoke
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