Treating Geriatric Sports Injury Among Pickleball Players: A Narrative Review of an Exercise Craze Among Seniors

Abstract

The sudden and enormous popularity of pickleball has included a surprising and large contingent of geriatric players. Similar to tennis and badminton, pickleball is a game with a short learning curve that offers low-impact cardiovascular benefits. Unlike tennis, most injuries in pickleball are sustained by older rather than younger players. In fact, pickleball-related injuries increase with increasing age. Such injuries include strains, sprains, joint pain, falls, and fractures. The most affected joints are the wrists, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Clinicians can advise their older pickleball patients on strategies and tips to minimize the risk of injury. This may be particularly important because many older individuals playing pickleball today were previously sedentary. Older people may be attracted to pickleball because it is an inclusive sport with a high socialization factor. Nevertheless, pickleball can deliver an excellent cardiovascular workout and it may be an example of a successful way to promote exercise among older people and those who resist exercise.

The Protective Nature of Sporting Activities against Falling among Older Adults

“…Evidence suggests injury rates during tennis play decrease with age. In contrast, injury rates while playing pickleball have been reported to increase with age (Pergolizzi et al, 2023). It is also important to note that falls are the most common cause of injury among older adult tennis and pickleball players (Weiss et al, 2021).…”