Pickleball Injuries Will Cost Americans Nearly $400 Million This Year
Pickleball might be "the fastest growing sport in America" that's taking over local tennis courts and even empty malls, but the burgeoning paddle sport could run up a hospital tab of almost $400 million before the end of 2023 according to a new UBS report first shared by Bloomberg.
After a report earlier this month noted an expanding number of Medicare-enrolled seniors who are undergoing surgeries for "non-urgent issues" related to their wrists, knees, and hips, healthcare investors have attempted to pinpoint the cause.
UBS began looking to pickleball, which is played by over 9 million Americans and—according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association—saw an 85.7 percent year-over-year increase in popularity, as a potential catalyst. The company's investigation found that injuries in players aged 60 and over, a demographic that makes up about one-third of all pickleball players, have increased steadily over the last few years.
Though it's generally considered a low-impact sport, Dr. Sanjay Saint, author of Pickleball for Life: Prevent Injury, Play Your Best, & Enjoy the Game, noted that this is a misconception which can lead to injury. The sporadic bursts of energy required by the game are "when you see lots of injuries occur," Saint told Market Watch. "Our minds think like we're teenagers."
The report further noted that pickleball will result in an estimated 67,000 trips to the emergency room and 4,700 hospitalizations for players. 86 percent of these injuries occur in players over the age of 60. This will total a whopping $377 million in medical costs by the end of the calendar year, a 156-percent increase over 2022's pickleball-related medical expenses.
In order to best avoid injury, Dr. Saint encourages all pickleball players to establish daily stretching routines in order to stay limber. He also advises stretching for 15 minutes prior to playing, and reminded everyone to take it slow for the first few games if you arrive at the court without time to warm up. "Instead of giving it 100%, give it 70%" in that scenario, Saint recommended.
