Injury numbers rise with pickleball popularity

Prevea Orthopedics and Sports Medicine experts are seeing a considerable increase in the number of pickleball related-injuries in recent years, as the sport continues to grow in popularity.

According to a recent study presented at the 2024 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, bone fracture injuries related to pickleball have increased 200% over the last 20 years. Bueyond the increase of bone fractures, often occurring as the result from a fall, Dr. Jonathan Dunker has also seen a steady increase in the number of pickleball-related knee and shoulder injuries.

“The most common pickleball injury in my clinic are meniscus tears. The meniscus is a piece of cartilage in your knee, and it can tear when you turn or twist the upper leg while your foot is planted firmly on the ground,” Dunker said. “Additionally, the number of wrist fractures and rotator cuff injuries, due to falls on the court, have increased substantially.”

Recent data collected by USA Pickleball, has found that pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country. From 2021 to 2023, it’s estimated the number of pickleball players increased from 4.8 million to 8.9 million in the U.S. alone. With so many newcomers to the sport, many of which are over the age of 40, Dunker encouraged new pickleball players to stretch properly before participating and not to push themselves too much, too soon.

“Pickleball is a great cardiovascular exercise for everyone, and I personally love playing the sport,” Dunker said. “But most of the injuries I am seeing from pickleball are occurring in those aged 50 to 70 years old. A bad fall for someone in that demographic, especially if they have osteoporosis or thinning bones, could result in a fracture or a soft tissue injury. Those types of injury can potentially require surgery.”