CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pickleball isn't an Olympic sport yet, but it is one of the fastest-growing games in America with an estimated 48 million people playing nationwide.
Nearly 19% of the U.S. adult population enjoys pickleball, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, with 48 million people playing at least once in the last year.
With the rise in the sport, also comes an increase in pickleball-related injuries.
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
Feirer said with pickleball there’s such a low barrier to entry.
"You can easily pick up the game in your public park or you can come to a great facility and learn how to play," Feirer said.
That includes more young folks picking up a paddle. That's a big change from how it was first recognized with casual players.
"Pickleball used to be known as an old people sport," Feirer said. "But now it's become really apparent that it's for all ages."
But you still see older adults out on the courts. Jarvis said clinics across the Charlotte area have seen more pickleball-related injuries, with many of them being serious.
"Very similar to most racquet sports. Strains and sprains, joints and muscles," Jarvis said. "But we're also seeing a lot more fractures than we would a sort of traditional sport like soccer or basketball. Mostly because of the demographic that plays."
Broken bones related to pickleball have increased by 200% over the last 20 years, according to data released earlier this year. Common injuries include rotator cuff injuries, arthritis, Achilles tendon tears or strains and foot fractures.
The vast majority of the fractures happened during falls. Morrissey says the best way to prevent these injuries is by stretching before a game.
"People are sitting at their desk all day and then they jump in their car and drive to the pickleball court and they're already running behind," Morrissey said. "So instead of taking the time to do dynamic stretching, they're just jumping on the court and starting the play. That's a recipe for injuries."
So while pickleball is a fun sport, and one that most people can easily pick up on, experts warn you need to take precautions, just like any sport, to avoid any injuries.
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