Read this before you make pickleball your new hobby.
The hottest new sports trend in years (maybe even decades) is pickleball, an addictive outdoor game that feels like the love child of tennis and ping pong. It’s easy to understand why the sport is gaining fans with such speed: It’s easy to learn, engaging to play, and people of all ages can enjoy it.
But this newfound popularity has come with a major downside: injuries. Lots of them. In fact, pickleball injuries in 2023 cost Americans an estimated $377 million in medical bills, according to investment banking company UBG Group AG. One such injury belongs to Fred Lodge, a friend of Katie’s who sustained an injury a few years ago during a game.
“I got talked into trying pickleball and within five or ten minutes of my first game, I blew out my Achilles,” Lodge said. The injury required surgery, and now, he maintains an adamant no-pickleball policy for his life. “My unscientific take on it is that my 65-year-old brain was superseded by my 20-year-old brain, which still thinks I can still move explosively,” he explained.
To get to the bottom of pickleball injury mania, Katie Couric Media spoke with Noe Sariban, DPT — a physical therapist and former professional pickleball player who specializes in pickleball injuries. Below, he explains what factors are (and aren’t) to blame for these widespread injuries — and what you can do to keep yourself in fighting pickleball shape.
Why does pickleball cause so many injuries?
“Pickleball doesn’t cause any more injuries than any other sports,” Sariban says. He points out a number of other factors behind this concerning trend, including the sudden interest in the sport in the last few years, as well as the average age of participants, and the accessibility of the sport.
“Pickleball participation has skyrocketed in the past five years, so of course the number of injuries from the sport was bound to increase,” Sariban notes. “Plus, the average age of pickleball players is much older than other sports.”
In addition, he adds, “The game is easy to learn,” which means a lot of beginners are on the court. “People who may have no athletic background or natural athleticism are finding themselves playing this sport at a later age.”
There’s one other thing that might contribute to the level of injuries: this game is strangely addictive.
“If people play pickleball once and like it, then all they want to do is keep playing,” Sariban says. “You have people out there playing six to seven times a week, sometimes for three to four hours at a time.”
It’s these extenuating circumstances, and not the sport itself, that causes so many hip fractures and MCL strains, Sariban insists. “To put it into perspective, if basketball suddenly became popular today, and retirement-aged people started playing six times a week for multiple hours at a time, you would also see a dramatic increase in basketball-related injuries.”
How to avoid pickleball injuries
“One way to avoid hurting yourself on the pickleball court is to pay attention to any chronic injuries or wellness issues that you already have,” Sariban says.
Another helpful strategy would be to engage with a physical therapist before you start playing five days a week.
“Ideally, you should speak with a doctor who has experience with pickleball,” Sariban recommends. “Get a full evaluation to identify impairments and physical limitations that may place you at high risk for injuries. Once you’re aware of those limitations, your doctor can give you an individualized program to prepare your body for pickleball.”
You should also maintain your levels of flexibility, mobility, and strength, Sariban says. That way, you can avoid small injuries that often snowball into bigger ones, like pulling a muscle or twisting an ankle.
“Finally, it is crucial to develop a good understanding of the game and strategy involved with pickleball,” Sariban urges. “Many of the players I coach not only have potential physical barriers to playing but also lack the advanced understanding of the game itself. This can lead to poor movement and placement when playing pickleball.”
You heard the man: Brush up on the rules of pickleball before you dust off your sneakers. Your ligaments (and your emergency contact) will thank you.
Here’s a great place to start your pickleball prep: Katie recently spoke with her personal pilates trainer, Ashley Patten, about how to stretch properly before your next game. This pickleball warm-up routine will keep you feeling loose, limber, and ready to hit the courts.
