As with other Active Adult Communities, Pickleball is a popular sport activity here at Village at Deaton Creek. Beforehand, most of us players prepare by “dinking”, volleying the ball just over the net into the “kitchen” and that does provide all the “warm up” we usually do.
Many of us are new to the sport and may not be aware of the proper warm up activities to do before jumping right in to a competitive game.
A proper warm up will increase the blood circulation throughout the body providing oxygen to your muscles. This will help reduce injury and aches and pains after the game. Cold muscles are not very flexible and can tear.
The Longstreet Clinic, who provided a generous contribution towards the recent construction of our new pickleball courts, send over Elizabeth Hawkins, a Physical Therapist to provide proper warm up instructions.
Elizabeth told us a good way to start a warm up is to just walk for about 5 minutes. Maybe walk on the sidewalks up past the softball field and back. Next Elizabeth handed out a couple of sheets of stretchering exercises to do.
Elizabeth led the group in some stretchering exercises focusing on the limbs: the arms and legs. None of these hurt and actually feels good. It seems to give a mental boost as well as a physical one.
Now if we can just take the time to actually do a proper warm up, this might save some injuries.
Thanks to The Longstreet Clinic!
