Stamford Health Wellness Event: Pickleball Injuries and How to Prevent Them!

Are you a Pickler? Join the experts at Stamford Health and HSS who will help you prevent injuries while playing America's fastest-growing sport!

Pickleball is quickly attracting enthusiasts from all backgrounds to the courts for exercise and fun. The race to the courts however has led to a rise in pickleball-related injuries such as overuse injuries, muscular strains, and ankle sprains.

In this panel, Dr. Carl Cirino and Dr. Jaclyn McKenna, along with physical therapist, Steven Ciliotta, will detail the most common pickleball injuries, explain how to manage these injuries, and demonstrate injury prevention exercises to keep you on the court and not sidelined!

About the Panelists

Dr. Carl Cirino is an accomplished orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow care at the HSS Sports Medicine Institute. He also holds the position of Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Cirino's expertise spans the spectrum of shoulder and elbow conditions allowing him to provide comprehensive and ongoing care to his patients. With a wealth of experience in treating athletes of all levels and age groups, he recognizes the significance of helping people of all ages and abilities regain their desired activity level. He served as a shoulder & elbow surgical fellow at HSS where he provided medical coverage for the New York Mets.

Dr. Cirino completed his pre-medical studies at Tufts University, and then attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, graduating in the top 5% of his class, receiving the faculty award for overall academic achievement. Following his medical education, Dr. Cirino completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Mount Sinai Hospital. He then pursued further specialization through a shoulder and elbow fellowship at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Cirino's roots trace back to Westport, Connecticut, where he was born and raised.

Dr. Jaclyn McKenna is an Assistant Attending Physician at Hospital for Special Surgery specializing in the nonsurgical treatment of various acute, overuse, and chronic musculoskeletal injuries. She is board certified in internal medicine with a certificate of added qualification in sports medicine.

Born and raised on Long Island, Dr. McKenna completed her undergraduate degree at The College of William and Mary, where she played Division I basketball and volleyball for the Tribe. She attended medical school at Stony Brook University prior to completing her residency in internal medicine at Brown University, where she served as a chief resident. She then completed her fellowship in sports medicine at the University of South Carolina where she served as a team physician for all Gamecock sports and provided sideline coverage for the football, women's basketball, and baseball teams. Dr. McKenna continues to stay active by playing beach volleyball, snowboarding, paddle boarding, and weight lifting.

Steven Ciliotta, PT, DPT  is a licensed physical therapist with over 10 years of experience in the outpatient setting. He enjoys helping patients with musculoskeletal injuries/conditions eliminate pain and return to the activities they love. He also has passion for encouraging individuals to maintain a high level of health, fitness and enjoyment via physical activity throughout their lifespan. Steven is board certified in orthopedics through the American Physical Therapy Association and has taken extensive coursework in movement assessment and manual therapy. Steven enjoys working out, running and playing golf in his spare time, and spending time with his family.