Pickleball is fast-paced, full of quick stops, pivots, and power moves. If your hips, ankles, or back aren’t ready for that, you’ll feel it—not just during the game, but after. So here are 3 stretches for pickleball players to use before your next game.
A solid warm-up routine gets your blood flowing, but what you do after that matters just as much. That’s where targeted stretching comes in.
At Vive, we work with recreational and competitive athletes daily—many of them play pickleball multiple times a week. The best ones don’t leave their movement to chance. They treat recovery and mobility like part of their training.
The following three stretches are what we recommend before you step onto the court. They’re simple, they target high-stress areas for pickleball players, and they’re best done after 5–10 minutes of light movement (like dynamic drills or rallying at 50%).
1. Standing Achilles & Soleus Stretch
This one’s all about ankle mobility and calf flexibility. When you’re lunging for a shot or pushing off for a quick change of direction, limited range here can throw off your balance—or worse, lead to an injury.
How to do it:
- Stand with one foot forward and the other slightly back.
- Keep your heel down as you bend the front knee forward over the toes.
- For a deeper soleus stretch, lift the heel and bend the knee more.
- Hold for 30 seconds each side.
2. Leaning Piriformis Stretch Against the Wall
Tight hips limit your ability to rotate and react. This stretch helps open up the back side of the hip, which can relieve tension in the low back and improve mobility through your stride.
How to do it:
- Stand near a wall, place one leg across the other (figure-4 position).
- Lean into the wall slowly until you feel a stretch in the glute.
- Adjust depth to stay comfortable—this shouldn’t feel sharp or pinchy.
- Hold 30 seconds per side.
3. Split Stance Lateral Line Stretch
Pickleball involves a ton of side-to-side motion. This stretch targets the lateral line—obliques, lats, QL, and IT band—which often get overlooked. Opening these up makes you more fluid and less restricted when reaching wide or rotating.
How to do it:
- Step into a wide split stance, one foot forward, one back.
- Reach the arm on the back leg’s side up and over.
- Think about lengthening the whole side of the body, not just tipping over.
- Hold 30 seconds per side.
Want to Play Better and Hurt Less?
These 3 stretches for pickleball players help unlock better movement today—but long-term mobility requires more than just a few pregame drills.
If you’re serious about staying pain-free and performing well, start addressing the quality of your tissue. Consistent mobility work and regular tissue sessions (even 30 minutes every two weeks) make a major difference.
At Vive, we see it all the time: people move better, recover faster, and feel younger once they stop ignoring their body’s warning signs.
Book a Tune-Up or come see us before or after your next match. Your game—and your joints—will thank you.