Day 21 of My Pickleball Journal

A Rest Day, Ice Dips, and Watching Matches

Playing pickleball has become a huge part of my life over the past few months. I’ve been documenting my experiences in this journal on our website, and today marks the 21st day of my pickleball journey. Unfortunately, today was another rest day for me, as I had injured my Achilles during a match a few days ago. But that didn’t stop me from heading to the Elmwood Fitness Center to ice my foot and catch some pickleball action.

Ice Dips for Foot Injuries

After picking up my son AJ from Pontiff, we headed to Elmwood Fitness Center so that I could use the cold dip to ice my foot. As we made our way to the cold dip pool, we stumbled upon a group of about 6 people playing pickleball. Even though I couldn’t play, it was great to see the game in action. I’ve always found it fascinating to watch other players and analyze their techniques.

Once I arrived at the cold dip, I soaked my foot for about 15 minutes. At first, the cold water was unbearable, but as time went on, the sensation began to numb. I even chatted with a few other people who entered the pool and shared some pickleball stories. After the first session, I waited for about 5 minutes before putting my foot back in for an additional 20 minutes. Although time seemed to pass slowly, I knew that this ice dip was necessary to reduce the swelling in my foot.

Watching Pickleball Matches

After the second session of soaking, I walked away from the pool with my foot feeling less tight, but still a little painful. As I walked past the pickleball courts, I was surprised to see that my son AJ was not playing, but instead, he was watching the matches that were going on. Although he was still a bit fatigued, and didn’t participate, his fascination for the game was evident. We stood and watched for a few minutes, analyzing the techniques of the players and discussing strategies.

As we headed home for the night, I couldn’t help but think about how I could have prevented my injury. It’s important to remember that pickleball is a physically demanding game, and injuries can happen if proper precautions aren’t taken. As much as I love playing, I realized that taking rest days and icing injuries are just as important to my long-term health and performance.

Day 21 of my pickleball journal was a rest day for me due to a foot injury. I spent some time soaking my foot in a cold dip to reduce swelling and even caught some exciting pickleball matches. Watching other players and analyzing their techniques is just as important to improving my game as playing itself. It’s crucial to remember the physical demands of the game and take proper precautions to prevent injuries. Join me tomorrow for another day of my pickleball journey.