Pickleball has exploded in popularity across Australia and around the world. What starts as a fun, social sport can quickly become physically demanding, especially for players dealing with repetitive wrist movements, fast lateral changes, and constant gripping of the paddle.

As more players spend longer hours on court, sports physios and health professionals are seeing a rise in:

• Wrist sprains
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
• Knee strain and tendon irritation
• Shoulder overuse injuries
• Achilles and calf tightness

Many players feel frustrated because rest alone often does not fully resolve these issues. They stop playing for a week, feel slightly better, then the pain returns during the next match. This is where cold laser therapy — also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation — is gaining attention as a non-invasive recovery option.

Why Pickleball Injuries Are Increasing

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. While it appears low impact, the sport involves:

• Sudden stop-start movements
• Rapid wrist flicks
• Repetitive gripping
• Quick lateral lunges
• High repetition paddle swings

These repetitive loads can overload tendons and joints over time. Reports on pickleball injury trends consistently identify elbow pain, wrist strain, and knee problems as common complaints among regular players.

Community discussions among players also reveal a recurring pattern: people often increase playing frequency too quickly, leading to overuse injuries in the wrist, elbow, and knees.

What Is Cold Laser Therapy?

Cold laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular repair and reduce inflammation without generating damaging heat.

Unlike surgical lasers, low-level laser devices are designed to support tissue healing by helping improve:

• Cellular energy production (ATP)
• Blood circulation
• Tissue regeneration
• Inflammatory response
• Recovery after repetitive strain

This process is often referred to as the Cellular Recovery Activation Process, where light energy supports the body’s natural repair mechanisms.

Athletes and active adults increasingly use laser therapy alongside physiotherapy, mobility work, and strength rehabilitation because it is:

• Non-invasive
• Drug-free
• Generally painless
• Suitable for repetitive strain injuries
• Easy to combine with rehabilitation exercises

Cold Laser Therapy for Tennis Elbow in Pickleball

“Tennis elbow” is one of the most common pickleball injuries despite the name originating from tennis. The condition develops when the tendons on the outside of the elbow become irritated from repetitive gripping and wrist extension.

Pickleball players commonly notice:

• Pain when gripping the paddle
• Weakness during backhand shots
• Tenderness on the outside of the elbow
• Pain lifting objects after playing

One of the most referenced systematic reviews on low-level laser therapy for lateral elbow tendinopathy found significant short-term pain reduction and improved function when appropriate wavelengths and dosages were used directly on the tendon insertion. The study, published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, reported that specific laser wavelengths — particularly 904 nm — demonstrated measurable benefits for pain relief and disability reduction in tennis elbow sufferers. Readers can review the research here: Low Level Laser Therapy in Tennis Elbow Study

This matters for pickleball players because many are searching for alternatives to repeated cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medication, or long periods away from the court.

Some players are understandably sceptical. They may feel:

“I’ve already tried braces, stretching, and resting — why would laser therapy be different?”

That hesitation is reasonable. However, many players find that combining laser therapy with progressive strengthening and technique correction helps calm persistent tendon irritation more effectively than rest alone.

Supporting Wrist Sprain Recovery

The wrist absorbs substantial force during volleys, quick counters, and overhead shots. Repeated extension and awkward paddle angles can overload the tendons and ligaments around the wrist joint.

Players commonly report:

• Pain near the thumb side of the wrist
• Weakness during counters
• Reduced stability
• Pain when lifting objects after matches

Cold laser therapy is often used in rehabilitation programs for wrist sprains because it may help:

• Reduce local inflammation
• Support tissue repair
• Improve circulation
• Decrease pain sensitivity

When paired with mobility exercises and temporary load reduction, many athletes use laser therapy to help maintain recovery momentum without completely stopping activity for extended periods.

Knee Strain & Pickleball Overuse Injuries

Pickleball’s rapid directional changes place stress on the knees, especially for players returning to sport after years away from court-based activities.

Common knee issues include:

• Patellar tendon irritation
• Meniscus aggravation
• MCL strain
• General inflammatory knee pain

Players frequently describe swelling, soreness on stairs, and pain after long sessions.

Cold laser therapy is increasingly used around the knee joint because photobiomodulation may help support:

• Tendon healing
• Inflammatory regulation
• Pain reduction
• Recovery between sessions

For many active adults, the goal is not simply pain reduction — it is staying active without creating a cycle of repeated flare-ups.

Why Players Are Looking for Drug-Free Recovery Options

Many pickleball enthusiasts are highly motivated to keep playing. The sport is social, competitive, and addictive in the best possible way.

But repetitive pain can eventually lead to:

• Reduced mobility
• Interrupted training
• Dependency on anti-inflammatory medication
• Fear of worsening the injury

This is why more players are exploring conservative recovery approaches before considering invasive procedures.

Cold laser therapy appeals to many athletes because it aims to support the body’s healing response rather than simply masking symptoms.

Using At-Home Laser Therapy Devices

One reason laser therapy has become more popular among recreational athletes is the availability of portable home-use devices.

Pulse Laser Relief Pulsed Low-Level Laser Therapy Device is designed for targeted application on areas such as:

• Elbows
• Wrists
• Knees
• Shoulders
• Tendons and soft tissue

For pickleball players managing recurring overuse injuries, home treatment can make it easier to stay consistent with recovery routines between matches and training sessions.

Recovery Still Requires Smart Load Management

Laser therapy is not a magic fix if players continue overloading injured tissue without allowing adaptation.

The most successful recovery strategies usually combine:

• Gradual return to play
• Strength training
• Mobility work
• Proper footwear
• Paddle grip adjustments
• Warm-up routines
• Load management
• Recovery therapies like photobiomodulation

Players who suddenly jump from one weekly session to playing daily often experience overuse injuries because tendons adapt more slowly than enthusiasm.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, but the repetitive movements can place substantial strain on elbows, wrists, and knees.

Cold laser therapy is gaining traction among active adults and athletes because it offers a non-invasive, drug-free approach that may help support recovery from common overuse injuries.

For players looking to stay active while managing recurring strain and tendon irritation, combining evidence-based rehabilitation with therapies like low-level laser therapy may provide another valuable recovery tool.

References:
Bjordal, J.M., Lopes-Martins, R.A., Joensen, J. et al. A systematic review with procedural assessments and meta-analysis of Low Level Laser Therapy in lateral elbow tendinopathy (tennis elbow). BMC Musculoskelet Disord 9, 75 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-9-75