Common injuries, simple prevention tips
Americans are addicted to a new, favorite sport. Millions are playing pickleball, a game that is exploding in popularity. And participation is predicted to continue to rise, dramatically, with new courts popping up throughout Northwest Ohio.
However, as more people become involved with the game, the number of injuries resulting from that participation is rising. Players, especially seniors, should understand how to protect themselves. A
Avoiding Injury
“Studies show that there’s been a threefold increase in the number of players but an even larger increase in the number of injuries,” says ProMedica Doctor Megan Talty. She specializes in sports medicine and has treated injuries from Pickleball. “Shoulder injuries, rotator cuff, wrist injuries and tennis elbow,” are common, while in younger athletes, there are more lower extremity injuries involving ankle sprains, and knees. “In women, they are more likely to have fractures, specifically the wrist from falls,” while older male patients “see a lot more increase in the Achilles tendon ruptures.”
Chad Abbott made a sudden move playing pickleball when he felt a pop. “It almost felt like somebody hit me with a pickleball racket.” A professional nurse from Blissfield, Chad knew he suffered a torn calf muscle. “It took a good three months before I could do anything significant with that. Even to this day, I can still feel it.” He confesses that he probably didn’t warm up enough before the game. He added that he had been playing too much without giving “the muscles time to recover because I was definitely sore when I went into the play that morning.”
Dr. Talty recommends patients maintain good balance through neuromuscular training, a balanced core, and lower extremity strength “so you can properly do the directional changes.” She cautions people to begin slowly. “Gradual progression into the intensity when you start playing pickleball…slowly increasing your activity level,” and taking lessons before starting to play competitively.
Proper footwear providing solid traction and good lateral movement should be a priority. Adding calcium and vitamin D can help protect bones against fractures. A recent study from New Jersey Medical School suggests wearing eye protection. Dr. Jonathan Tsui recommends eye gear because pickleballs meet little air resistance and travel quickly. Last year, over 1,000 pickleball-related eye injuries were reported.
Chad Abbott concludes, “the big thing is making sure that you warm up properly, because I’m sure that’s what contributed to my injury.” Dr. Talty encourages patients to enjoy playing sports and taking proper precautions to avoid getting hurt. “I like to keep people active whenever we can. If this is something that you see is fun and good for your heart health, we’re going to try to keep you doing it as long as we can.”
