As pickleball has exploded in popularity over the last few years, doctors at Kaiser Permanente Northwest warn they have seen an increase in pickleball-related injuries.
According to USA Pickleball, the sport is the fastest growing in the United States, rising from 4.8 million players in 2021 to 8.9 million in 2023.
The sport’s popularity, however, has also driven an increase in injuries.
“While pickleball is a fantastic way to stay active and socialize, it’s important to recognize the potential for injury, especially as the sport gains momentum,” said Dr. Golden, assistant chief of urgent care for Kaiser Permanente Northwest.
“I would say far and away, the most common types of injuries that we’re going to see are musculoskeletal injuries so, fractures, broken bones, strains, sprains. Certainly, these musculoskeletal injuries can develop over days, or weeks, or even months – things like tendonitis, or plantar fasciitis, those are really common pickleball injuries that we’ll see,” Golden told KOIN 6 News.
Source: https://www.koin.com/news/health/oregon-hospital-sees-uptick-in-pickleball-injuries-as-sport-grows-in-popularity/