Trouble Around Pickleball as Injuries Creep Up Amongst Aspiring Players of America’s Fastest Growing Sport

Pickleball has recently taken the world by storm. The sport has received investments from several personalities in sports and the film industry. Even top tennis players such as Nick Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka have also helped the sport reach new heights. However, there is some bad news for Pickleball. In a stark turn of events, there have been players who picked up injuries while playing the sport.

The sport gained popularity for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is it requires less sprinting when compared to tennis. The sport is easier to play and needs less space. But even then, there have been increasing injuries that could lead to a possible reduction in players.

Pickleball injuries on the rise

As per Dr. Warren Butterfield, an orthopedic surgeon in Utah, there has been an increase in injuries caused due to Pickleball. The most common injury seen is a wrist fracture. Probable reasons could be someone tripping while stepping back or moving forward with aggression. People try to break their fall by reaching out their arms and landing awkwardly, which causes the wrist to break.

“The most common injury I see in Pickleball is a wrist fracture,” Butterfield told the local paper. “It is somebody who is stepping backward or aggressively going after a ball, and they just trip, reach out to rescue themselves and land on their outstretched arm, and break their wrist,” the doctor said.

While wrist injuries are on the rise, other injuries are also common. Tennis elbow is also picked by some players. Since the majority of the gameplay is similar to tennis, the racket swing causes the dreaded injury. Additionally, shoulder and ankle injuries are also on the rise.

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According to Dr Butterfield, prevention of such injuries is possible. Listening to the body is the best way to avoid risks. Not rushing into playing and being aware of when the body demands rest is crucial. Another measure, she spoke about,  is to warm up and stretch properly before playing a game.

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Pickleball is undeniably on a rocket ship to popularity. More will engage in the game worldwide and the knowledge of the sport will improve which will hopefully lead to fewer injuries.