Massage for pickleball players in Calgary

Massage suits pickleball players well for the everyday aches of the game: tight calves and Achilles from quick starts, a sore paddle shoulder and a stiff low back after a long session. Because most players who get hurt are over 50, we adjust pressure for bone density, blood pressure and medications. Falls, suspected fractures and any chest pain or breathlessness on court need medical care before massage.

Pickleball players are some of the happiest people we treat. They have found a game they love, they play often, and they would like to keep playing for years. What brings them in is usually ordinary: calves that grab after a morning of doubles, a shoulder that aches from the dink game, a low back that does not love bending for balls. Here is how massage fits, and where the line sits between “sore from playing” and “needs a doctor”.

Who gets hurt playing pickleball

Most players who end up in emergency are older, and most were hurt in a fall rather than by slow overuse. Two large American studies using national emergency department data give a clear picture.

• An analysis of 2001–2017 data estimated 19,012 pickleball injuries. Patients aged 50 or older made up 90.9 percent of them. Strains and sprains (28.7 percent) and fractures (27.7 percent) were the most common injuries. The lower body was affected in 32.0 percent of cases and the upper body in 25.4 percent, and 88.0 percent of patients were treated and sent home.
• A 2010–2019 study focused on players 60 and older, because they accounted for over 85 percent of pickleball injury cases. Slips, trips, falls and dives were the main mechanism in 63.3 percent of injuries. Senior men were about three and a half times more likely than women to have a strain or sprain, while women were about three and a half times more likely to have a fracture, and nine times more likely to break a wrist.

A clinical review in Current Sports Medicine Reports notes that pickleball injuries resemble those in other racquet sports. The difference is who is playing: a large share of players are at an age where bone density, balance and heart health shape what an injury means.

What massage can help with

Massage is for the stiffness and soreness of playing, not for repairing an injury. A 2020 meta-analysis of sports massage found small improvements in flexibility and muscle soreness, with no effect on strength or speed. For a pickleball player, the useful areas are usually:

• calves and the Achilles area, which absorb every split step and lunge to the kitchen line
• front and back of the thighs, from staying low through long rallies
• low back and hips, from bending and twisting
• the paddle-arm shoulder and forearm, from repeated forehand and overhead swings

If a calf grabbed suddenly mid-game, read our page on calf strain first; a pull like that needs a few days before firm work. Pain and stiffness at the back of the heel may be Achilles tendinopathy; that page explains how it is usually managed and where massage fits. And if your knees ache more than your muscles, our page on knee osteoarthritis explains where massage fits.

Adjusting massage for older bodies

We change the pressure to suit the person, not the sport. NCCIH describes the risk of harm from massage as low, but notes rare reports of serious problems, such as a blood clot, nerve injury or bone fracture. Some of those cases involved vigorous deep tissue massage or people at higher risk of injury, such as older adults. That is why we ask a few more questions of a 70-year-old player than of a 30-year-old.

Tell us about:

• osteoporosis or a previous fracture, so we avoid heavy pressure over the spine and ribs (see massage with osteoporosis)
• blood pressure and heart conditions, and the medications you take for them (see massage with high blood pressure)
• blood thinners, which make bruising easier
• joint replacements, so we position you comfortably
• any recent fall, even one you shrugged off

None of these usually rules massage out. They change how firm we go and how you lie on the table.

When to see a doctor instead

Some things that happen on a pickleball court are not muscle problems at all. In the senior study, 11.1 percent of pickleball emergency cases in players 60 and older were cardiovascular events rather than injuries.

Call 911 for chest pain or pressure, breathlessness out of proportion to the rally, fainting, or sudden weakness or numbness on one side. These are emergencies no matter how fit you feel.

See a doctor before booking massage if:

• you fell and have wrist, hip or shoulder pain, swelling or bruising, especially if you have osteoporosis
• you heard or felt a pop in the calf or the back of the heel
• a joint is swollen, hot or will not take weight
• pain is getting worse rather than better after a few days

Massage for pickleball players at Renu

At Renu, a Registered Massage Therapist will ask about your game, your health history and any injuries before starting. Most players choose:

• 45 minutes ($100) for legs and back after a busy week of play
• 60 minutes ($120) for full-body work, including the paddle arm
• 75 minutes ($141) when you want extra time on calves, hips and shoulders after a tournament

There is no set number of sessions for a pickleball player. Some book once after a tournament weekend; others come every few weeks through the busy part of the year because it helps them feel loose on court. Start with one visit, notice how your body responds over the next few games, and decide from there.

We are open seven days, with weekend hours from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, so a Sunday afternoon session after morning play works. There is free street parking on 19 Street. Book through Jane online, or read more on our massage therapy page.

Questions people ask

Is pickleball hard on the body?

It involves quick starts, sudden stops and a lot of forehand and overhead swings, often on hard courts. In older players, most emergency visits come from slips, trips and falls rather than from overuse. Good court shoes, a warm-up and a gradual return after time off go a long way.

I am on a blood thinner. Can I still get a massage after pickleball?

Usually yes, with lighter pressure, because blood thinners make bruising easier. Tell your therapist about the medication when you book and again at the start of the session. If you have had a recent clot or your doctor has set limits, follow their advice first.

How soon after a game should I book?

The same evening or the next day both work for ordinary stiffness. If you played a long tournament day, the next day is often more comfortable, once the first wave of soreness has settled. If anything was injured, have it assessed before booking.

Can massage help pickleball elbow?

Massage can ease the tight forearm muscles that often come with elbow pain from repeated paddle strokes, and many players find that helpful. Elbow pain that lingers for weeks, comes with swelling or weakens your grip should be assessed, since it may need a specific rehab plan.

Sources

1. Journal of Emergency Medicine: Pickleball-related injuries treated in emergency departments (2020)
2. Injury Epidemiology: Non-fatal senior pickleball and tennis-related injuries treated in US emergency departments, 2010–2019 (2021)
3. Current Sports Medicine Reports: Pickleball, review and clinical recommendations (2020)
4. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine: Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery (2020)
5. NCCIH: Massage therapy, what you need to know

Page reviewed October 5, 2026. This page is education, not a diagnosis. For your own situation, talk to your doctor, surgeon or care team, or ask us.