Kidney Stones: A Personal Wake-Up Call
Kidney Stones and Pickleball Fatigue: A Personal Wake-Up Call
When you’re playing match after match and struggling to keep up, you may assume it’s just normal pickleball fatigue, Or just getting old. I certainly did. But sometimes, there’s a deeper cause, one that you never expect until it hits you like a truck. Kidney Stones.
This is the follow-up to my original article on pickleball fatigue, where I shared what I thought was simply a story about exhaustion and endurance. Turns out, it was more than that.
Unexpected Pain After a Pickleball Tournament
After playing eleven grueling matches in one weekend tournament, I was completely wiped. I expected the usual soreness, but what I didn’t expect was a debilitating pain in my lower back. My assumption was that it was muscular fatigue, just another symptom of pushing myself too hard. I curled up in bed, skipped the next few days of play, and hoped it would pass.
It did for a few weeks.
When Rest Didn’t Help: The Pain Got Worse
Fast-forward a few weeks. I had taken breaks. Iced my back and body. I had adjusted my training. Still, the pain returned, and this time, it didn’t go away. Since I was having trouble bending over, and felt nauseous. I finally did something I hadn’t done in 20 years:
I went to the ER.
Diagnosis: A Massive Kidney Stone
An MRI revealed what I never could’ve predicted: a 9 cm kidney stone. Not 9 millimeters. Centimeters. Surgery was scheduled immediately, and thankfully, it went smoothly. The doctor said it was one of the largest she’d seen. I wasn’t just tired during my matches, I was literally carrying a rock around inside my body.
Connecting the Dots: Was This the Cause of My Fatigue?
It all began to make sense. The loss of focus late in games. The slow footwork. The difficulty bending my knees. My tendency to “stand tall” and reach instead of staying grounded. These weren’t just habits, I was unknowingly protecting my body from the pain caused by a condition I hadn’t diagnosed yet.
Linking Back to My Previous Experience
In my article on pickleball fatigue, I talked about technique breakdowns and physical decline as matches wore on. Looking back, those issues may have had a medical root cause.
Lessons Learned from the Kidney Stone Saga
- Listen to your body—persistent pain isn’t just fatigue.
- Don’t dismiss recurring issues as “just getting older” or “overdoing it.”
- Medical checkups matter, even for players who think they’re healthy.
- Pickleball performance is tied to full-body health, not just practice and skill.
Could Your Pickleball Fatigue Be Something Else?
If you’re experiencing a consistent drop-off in performance, or fatigue that doesn’t make sense relative to your effort, it might be worth looking deeper. Medical conditions like kidney stones, anemia, dehydration, or even sleep apnea can all impact how you perform on the court.
How to Spot Something More Than Fatigue
- Back or side pain that lingers or worsens
- Nausea or upset stomach after play
- Unusual weakness or dizziness
- Recurring soreness that rest doesn’t fix
Hope for the Future: Will My Game Improve?
I’m not saying that the kidney stones surgery is going to turn me into a 4.5 overnight. But I do think there’s a strong chance that some of my performance issues were related to this stone. If nothing else, I now understand my body better. I’m optimistic about leveling up to a consistent 3.5 now that the source of pain is gone.
FAQs: Kidney Stones and Pickleball Fatigue
Yes, kidney stones can cause severe back pain, fatigue, and general discomfort, all of which can reduce your movement, stamina, and decision-making during games.
Mild but persistent back or side pain, nausea, fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest, and pain that worsens after physical activity are common symptoms that can be overlooked.
Absolutely. Persistent fatigue—especially when accompanied by pain or nausea—warrants a checkup to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Kidney Stones: Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling worn down on the court and your usual recovery tactics aren’t working, don’t ignore the signs. Sometimes it’s not just “fatigue”, sometimes it’s your body telling you something more serious is going on.
Take care of your health, and your game will thank you.
Want more insights like this? Explore PickleTip.com for stories, strategy tips, and honest pickleball talk from players who live it every day.
