Pickleball Players: Here’s How Cryotherapy and Massage Can Improve Your Game
If you’ve spent any time on the pickleball courts lately, you’ve probably noticed—Green Bay has caught full-on pickleball fever. Competitive, fast-paced, and just plain fun, this sport has become the go-to activity for players of all ages.
But while pickleball might look like an easy blend of tennis and ping-pong, any seasoned player knows it’s a serious workout. Quick bursts of movement, constant pivots, and repetitive swinging can leave your muscles feeling stiff and your joints begging for a little mercy, especially if you’re playing several times a week. That’s where two MVP recovery tools come in: massage and cryotherapy. Both can help you bounce back faster, prevent injuries, and keep you feeling fresh game after game.
Recovery is an essential part of any athlete’s routine, whether you’re a casual doubles player or gunning for tournament gold. It’s what helps your body repair, rebuild, and come back stronger after each match. Without proper recovery, fatigue and soreness can sneak up fast, and so can those pesky overuse injuries.
Luckily, at Western Racquet, we’ve got both massage therapy and cryotherapy options to add to your recovery toolkit. Both can reduce soreness, improve mobility, and speed up recovery so you can get back on the court feeling refreshed, loose, and ready to dominate.
Let’s take a closer look at how each one can help you recover like a pro, so your body can keep up with your love of the game.
Massage Therapy
Who doesn’t love a good massage? That feeling of melting into the table while your muscles finally get the TLC they’ve been begging for? Ahhhhhh….
But massage isn’t just about relaxation. It’s actually one of the best tools for athletic recovery out there.
Whether you’re a pro-level player or a weekend warrior, regular massage can help you move better, play longer, and recover faster. It’s especially helpful for targeting sore shoulders, tight calves, or that elbow that’s been protesting every backhand (thanks, pickleball elbow).
Benefits of massage for pickleball players:
Speeds up muscle recovery and reduces soreness
Helps prevent injury
Supports healing for current injuries
Lowers blood pressure and promotes relaxation
Improves joint function and range of motion
Stimulates natural feel-good hormones (yay, endorphins!)
Think of massage as your post-match reset button, helping your body recover so you can come back stronger next time.
Cryotherapy
If you’ve been sleeping on cryotherapy, it’s time to wake up! Cryotherapy is one of the most powerful and efficient recovery methods available to athletes of all kinds.
At Western, you can step into our whole-body cryosauna for a full-body reset or try a spot treatment to target specific trouble areas. Cryotherapy works by briefly exposing your body to extremely cold temperatures—between -200°F and -300°F—for just a few minutes. This quick chill session sparks a powerful physical response that promotes healing and recovery.
Benefits of cryotherapy:
Reduces inflammation throughout the body
Decreases muscle soreness and stiffness
Helps flush out metabolic waste while delivering nutrients to muscles
Lowers cortisol (your stress hormone)
Boosts endorphins (your happy hormones
Improves mood and sleep
Enhances overall athletic performance
What happens in a cryotherapy session?
Most people are a little nervous before their first cryotherapy session. We get it—it sounds intense. Standing in subzero temps? On purpose? But don’t worry, we’ll walk you through every step before you step into the sauna so you feel totally prepared, safe, and comfortable. And the best part? The whole thing only takes about three minutes! Less time than it takes to warm up your paddle arm.
During the session, temperatures drop to between -200°F and -300°F, but don’t panic—it’s surprisingly manageable. Most people describe the feeling as invigorating rather than painful, with a tingling, refreshing sensation as your body kicks into “recovery mode.”
Here’s what happens: your body senses the cold and sends blood rushing to your core to protect vital organs. That oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood then circulates back to your muscles as you warm up, helping to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and improve your overall recovery and mood.
When your session wraps up, you’ll warm up quickly. Many people step out feeling energized, clear-headed, and calm. Over the next day or two, you may notice looser muscles, better sleep, and reduced soreness. In other words, you’ll be ready to get back out on those Green Bay pickleball courts before you know it.
Massage & Cryotherapy for Athletes at Western Racquet
Ready to play better, recover faster, and feel amazing off the court? At Western Racquet & Fitness Club in Green Bay, we’ve got you covered. Our massage therapy and cryotherapy services are both available right here at the club—no need to run all over town for recovery.
👉 Visit our Massage page to book with one of our amazing on-site massage therapists.
👉 Learn more about Cryotherapy and other wellness and recovery services available in Renew.
If you’re spending your week you’re serving, dinking, or diving for that last point, don’t forget to take care of your body off the court too—it’s your most important piece of equipment. After all, the only thing better than a pickleball win? Waking up the next day ready to do it again.
