Pickleball can cause broken bones, doctors warn. This is how you can prevent this

Research shows that picking up a pickleball racquet makes you vulnerable to fractures.

Researchers in Florida and North Carolina analyzed federal injury data from more than 100 U.S. emergency departments.

The team found that within 20 years there was a 90-fold increase in the number of injuries from pickleball. a racquet sport that is a cross between tennis and ping pong and is considered the fastest growing sport in America.

They also found that the risk was greatest for older adults, especially women over 65, because they are more susceptible to bone diseases such as osteoporosis. However, men were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized due to a broken bone.

The team called on older Americans to be more vigilant about conditions that could weaken their bones and make them more prone to injuries.

Dr. Kurk P. Spindler, study author and orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic in Florida, said: ‘Despite its reputation as a low-impact sport, pickleball can pose a serious risk to players, especially if they have weaker bones due to osteoporosis. ‘

“It’s important to understand your risk profile for injury and talk to your doctor to see how you can lower your risk.”

This includes building bone mass by getting enough nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D in old age.

The researchers analyzed federal injury data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission from 2002 to 2022. This included sample data from more than 100 hospitals in the US.

The team found descriptions of 377 pickleball-related fractures. They applied this ratio to the entire US population – based on the estimated number of pickleball players nationwide – and it is estimated that approximately 5,400 pickleball injuries occur annually.

The researchers found that there was a 90-fold increase in pickleball-related injuries during the study period, with the largest increase occurring after 2020.

Injuries were sustained while falling in 92 percent of cases, and women over the age of 65 were the most likely group to sustain a fracture.

This is the population most vulnerable to osteoporosis, which makes bones weak and brittle. This increases the risk of bone fractures.

However, the team also found that men were 2.3 times more likely to end up in hospital after sustaining a fracture.

The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City recommends stretching the legs before exercising to reduce the risk of injury.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 as a backyard game for children in Washington State and has since become extremely popular.

According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, it is now the fastest growing sport in the US, with 48.3 million adults (19 percent) having played at least one match in the past 12 months.

The sport combines elements of tennis, ping pong and badminton in one.

It is played with a flat paddle, the aim being to hit the ball over the next with the paddle and prevent the opponent from hitting it back.

Research on pickleball is still limited, although some studies have suggested it may lead to improvements in physical and mental health.

In 2022, researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) found that playing racquet sports for at least 2.5 hours a day reduced the risk of premature death by 16 percent in adults aged 59 to 82.

And last year, a study found that pickleball reduced stress and anxiety in nearly 70 percent of adults over the age of 55, with 64 percent of participants calling the sport “uplifting.”

The study was presented Monday at the 2024 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS).