Dr Karishma's advice on Pickleball & Paddleball
Dr Karishma was recently featured in Mumbai Mirror, where she spoke about dealing with sports injuries, focusing on Pickleball & Paddleball
Posture and footwork
Many strains happen because people reach awkwardly or drop into an uncontrolled lunge. Start each point from an athletic stance – knees soft, weight forward, paddle ready.
Take light, quick steps rather than a huge dive. If you do lunge, keep the shin vertical, heel down, knee over the toes, and push off through the whole foot.
Keep swings compact: avoid heavy wrist flicks in pickleball, and meet lobs calmly at shoulder height in padel instead of chasing a wild smash. Use your legs and trunk for power so elbows, shoulders and back stay protected.
Understanding the games
In pickleball, stay light on your feet near the “kitchen” line and keep volleys soft to avoid jarring the wrist.
In padel, learn the bandeja – a calm, controlled overhead played with the bat angled slightly down, taken at shoulder height.
It’s designed to return lobs safely and set up the next shot, sparing your neck and lower back from overarching for a smash.
Both sports reward planting your feet before hitting. Smooth, balanced strokes protect joints and improve accuracy.
