How I treated my pickleball injuries with yobow

Have you struggled with pickleball injuries or does it take you a while to recover after each session? Maybe you're just after high-quality products like fitness bands or a massage gun to help you stretch and warm up before you play.

If this sounds like you, you might like yobow's pickleball injury prevention gear. Having recently struggled with injuries myself, I really enjoyed trying out the yobow range. They offer familiar items like massage guns, as well as some really unique ones I've never seen before.

I tested these products alongside our lead reviewer Stephen Mijangos. Read on for our in-depth yobow BAK PAK+ review.

If you struggle with pickleball injuries or you simply want to improve your warm-up routine, you'll like what yobow is offering. Their motto is "prehab beats rehab" and their fitness products are designed specifically for use before you play, so that you don't get injured afterward.

While some of their products are standard for warm-up kits (e.g. fitness bands), these are better quality than any I've bought from Amazon. Then there are the more unique items—I've never seen anything like their "activation ball" before. I like that yobow is putting effort into R&D and offering products that other brands don't.

Stephen and I both tested the yobow BAK PAK+, which includes the full kit. Priced at $179.99, this is the best value for money if you have the budget for it. If you'd prefer a cheaper option, check out the $79.99 BAK PAK, which includes everything apart from the massage pistol.

Watch my first thoughts on the yobow BAK PAK+:

The yobow BAK PAK+ immediately became part of my regular warm-up routine. For starters, the massage pistol is much better than my current one. Plus, at $139.99, it's a great cheaper alternative to the Theragun ($199). The warm-up bands got me changing up my routine to focus on my legs again (which I was neglecting).

The fitness band is much better quality than the one my physical therapist gave me. The flex wedges are new to me and I'm surprised by how much I enjoy using them. (They were our lead reviewer Stephen's favorite part of the whole kit.)

With pickleball injuries all over the news, I highly encourage you to start a warm-up and rehab routine if you haven't already. Trust me—I've been sidelined this year with a shoulder tear and "pickleball elbow". I've been using the yobow kit to treat those even after completing this review.

If you have the budget, the yobow BAK PAK+ is a really wise investment. The exercises and stretches you can do with these products are ideal for activating the shoulder, hand, and leg muscles you'll need for every shot in pickleball. Plus, everything comes in a handy carry bag so it's really convenient.

Let's start with the BAK PAK+, which is the full-body activation kit—everything you need in one bag. I've had both tennis elbow and a shoulder injury this year that kept me off the court for extended periods. So, I've learned the importance of warming up and I do it before every session now.

It's exciting getting a full kit, and this would make a great pickleball gift for any player. I'll dig into each product that comes in the BAK PAK+ below, including demonstration videos by our lead review Stephen Mijangos.

I already use a massage pistol daily, but it's one I got on Amazon for $80, so I was excited to see how the yobow massage pistol compares. It has multiple speeds and four attachments so it's already more customizable.

Firstly, I really like the yobow's travel/mini size. I don't usually travel with my massage pistol because it's too bulky, so I'll definitely take this with me if I play away. I also like that it has a standard USB charger instead of the custom wall plug charger that my other one has (I'm always losing that charging cable).

The yobow performs much better than my other one, with more powerful and consistent vibrations. It feels more therapeutic too.

I used it to work my forearms first. I've had a nasty case of pickleball elbow this year and I was already doing forearm stretching and strengthening in physical therapy (PT), so this was a natural place to start.

I then worked on my back lat muscles. I've had a mini labrum tear in my shoulder which flares up when I play a lot. I learned in PT to loosen the muscles around the shoulder, so I focused there. This has helped control my flare-ups, especially on overheads as these can really aggravate the injury.

Then, I followed yobow's video recommendation and hit the chest, before moving to the quads. Every time, my body feels loose and good after all this.

Stephen Mijangos, who also reviewed the yobow, said that this pistol works as well as his other one despite being half the size. However, he only recommends going with the yobow if you value its portability. His one costs half the price and works as well, and he's happy just to use it at home.

Check out Stephen's demo of the massage pistol:

You get three warm-up bands with different resistances: easy (10-20 lbs), medium (20-40 lbs), and hard (40-60 lbs). I found this to be more than enough variety.

The guys at yobow recommend lateral and front-to-back lunges to warm up the glutes, hips, and legs. I used to do these movements in my tennis days but I admit I've been neglecting them as I get further into my pickleball career.

These bands are pretty strong. The medium and hard bands feel almost like a solid workout rather than a warm-up. I like the lateral movement best for waking up the hips. I can feel the hip opening shifting at the kitchen during extended dink rallies, and this helped my game.

I've been previously using a fitness band in my warm-ups, but it's a cheap one my physical therapist gave me. This yobow band is way, way more premium. It's thicker, wider, and better quality with a nicer feel and texture.

I've been using the yobow bands to open up my shoulders and range of motion. It has already helped make big swings like overheads and forehand drives more accessible on the court.

I've also been using it for a strengthening exercise I've been doing for months: standing on the band and doing shoulder extensions. I'm making this a permanent part of my routine because the resistance is much better for building up my injured right shoulder.

This is a unique yobow invention. I didn't have a clue what to do with it at first! I had to watch the instructional video twice to figure it out but it was great once I got it going.

Basically, you add tension and then start rotating your wrist. The ball spins to continue that tension on your wrist rotation. The result is a really nice forearm and shoulder activation.

I was already doing a bunch of forearm activation and strengthening for my pickleball elbow PT, so this is a nice addition to my routine. I also like how compact it is—small enough to fit in your pocket.

I can also feel it priming all the muscles I need for my forehand. This is one of my most important shots, so I like adding this to my routine.

Stephen thinks this ball is awesome too. He recommends it for anyone who has a tendency to get wrist or forearm injuries. He's been using it right before a game to get his arm muscles firing.

He did say to watch out because if you spin it too much while getting it ready, it can break on you. So just be gentle and careful with it! Check out his demo of the activation ball:

This is another cool product that I've never seen before, and it's Stephen's favorite part of the whole kit. These are small wedges for "optimized stretching" and "squat assistance".

I followed yobow's instructions and started with calf raises on them. It takes a lot of balance, and I can't say I enjoyed doing more than a few!

Next, I did the calf/Achilles stretch which felt really good. I'm super tight in my hamstrings and could feel a really deep and intense stretch along my back leg into my lower back (which is also tight now that I'm in my late 30s).

I have done these stretches sporadically against a wall but with these dedicated wedges, I can see myself doing them a lot more frequently.

Check out Stephen's demo of the flex wedges:

yobow is a US company specializing in fitness products that help you prepare before you play so that you're not suffering after the game. Their motto "prehab beats rehab" sums them up. They're all about warm-up products and performance gear to help you stay in peak shape.

They offer your typical exercise products like fitness bands, as well as more unique items like their activation ball and flex wedges. They're popular with pickleball players especially because they help you warm up all the muscles you need to play the game.

For me, the key to preventing injuries when playing pickleball regularly is to be very diligent about warming up and keeping on top of my physical fitness when I'm not playing. That's why these yobow products work so well for my routine.

My current routine involves:

I'll be using yobow products more, bringing in the warm-up bands to stretch my leg muscles, and not just my shoulder anymore. I like the flex wedges for loosening up my glute, calf, Achilles, and hamstring muscles.

The fitness bands and massage pistol are much better quality than the ones I have. I'm also curious about the activation ball and I wonder if that will become part of my long-term routine too. It's definitely unique.

I think the BAK PAK+ is 100% worth it. At the time of writing, it's marked down from its regular price of $279.93 to $179.99. In comparison, the Theragun mini massage pistol is $199 alone. The BAK PAK+ offers a rival pistol and everything else in the pack for $179.99, which is a really good deal.

Trust me. I have a mountain of medical bills from PT and orthopedic visits, so the $179.99 is worth it ten times over if it prevents actual injuries and rehab.