WELLNESS AUTHOR
Mark Denesha
PLAYING PICKLEBALL: HOW TO NOT GET HURT n With pickleball being the fastest-
growing sport in the U.S., people are quick to play and slow to avoid and prevent injuries.
W
ith a rapid rise in popularity comes a higher risk for injury, especially when it comes to pickleball in Austin. As the fastest-growing sport in America, pickleball has become a sport for all ages. In 2021, 20% of all pickleball players were aged 55+, with the average age being 38. For those in the 55+ age range, it’s a great activity because it’s easy to modify the energy expenditure requirements. However, as the sport continues to grow in popularity, especially in individuals 55+ who were previously sedentary, there’s also an increase in injuries. Although pickleball is less demanding than tennis, there are still a lot of similarities such as the footwork. There’s less running than tennis, but pickleball requires cutting left and right, peddling forward and backward, and quick pivots and lunges all while swinging a paddle. The games, especially singles, involve short sprints, which calls for good balance, foot coordination and the ability to start and stop with control. If you’re lacking in one of these, you could be setting yourself up for injury.
As a physical therapist, I’ve seen a combination of acute and overuse injuries. In my experience, I’ve seen acute injuries in new-tothe-sport players. Overuse injuries are also in new-tothe-sport players as well as ones who have experience in tennis or ping-pong but have been sedentary. The severity of injuries varies from sprains to patellar fractures, but the three most common are ankle sprains, shin splints and muscle strains in the lower back. The majority of the injuries I’ve treated in pickleball players are in the lower extremities. Shoulder and
Common Pickleball Injuries
Because pickleball is easy to learn, and therefore not perceived as a rigorous activity, new players don’t put emphasis on warmups, cooldowns and physical fitness.
APRIL 2023
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