Tips for Everyone Looking to Get into Pickleball Safely

 Physical fitness is important to all of us, and participating in sports is a great way to stay in great shape. Pickleball is a once-niche, but now fast-rising sport in the United States. With over 36 million people playing as recently as 2022, it’s popular enough to have the attention of other major sports. 

Its easy-to-learn nature and its focus on physical fitness make pickleball a fine fit for people of all ages. With that said, it’s quite popular among older players who want to stay fit as they age.

Regardless of your interest in playing pickleball, like any sport you want to be prepared and play safely to prevent injuries. So, let’s have a look at the basics of the sport, the injuries you’re likely to deal with, and some ways you can stay healthy while you play. 

If you live in the Fort Worth, Texas, area and you’re looking to play pickleball or other sports to stay in shape, Dr. Joseph Daniels and his team at Southwest Orthopedic Associates can help you with ways to stay injury free.

Pickleball basics

This is the quirky name for a racquet sport created in 1965 by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, improvising a game that combines tools from badminton, ping pong, and tennis that the whole family could enjoy. Two years later, Pritchard and his neighbor constructed the first permanent pickleball court, and in 1972 a corporation for the sport was officially formed. 

Over the years it has become quite popular, being played in all 50 states by 1990 and recently recognized as the fastest-growing sport in America.

The game has rules that borrow from all the racquet sports it derived from but borrows most from tennis and ping pong. It’s played to 11 points which have to be won by a margin of two points, and can be played in singles or doubles.

Common injuries

With the rise of the sport has also come an increase in injuries, with things like bone fractures happening more than other types, knee injuries (ACL problems), sprained ankles, and rotator cuff damage being among the most common. Over 90% of fracture injuries resulted from falls, according to the data, and within a 20-year span, people suffered from around 5,400 fractures annually.

Additionally, while older women are more likely to get fractures due to osteoporosis-related problems, men are more likely to get hospitalized for their injuries as they tend to be in the lower part of the body, such as hips and femur.

Safety tips for getting into the game

If you’re just starting in this sport, or you’re a regular who wants to find ways to stay safe, here are some tips:

Check the court for obstacles

The last thing you want when playing is to slip up or trip over something that was not removed before you got started, so anything that can create a hazard during the game should be cleared beforehand.

Avoid playing in wet environments

In the same spirit as the previous tip, rain, floods or other ways courts get wet create a fall risk for everyone playing — even if your shoes have really good grip. It’s best to either wait for things to dry or find another court to play on.

Use the right gear to play

This means wearing eye protection and finding the right footwear on the court. Running shoes may seem like the right choice, but they are best suited for moving in a straight line. Sports shoes with a wider base and a flexible midsole are much better for your feet when playing pickleball, and they provide better ankle support.

Warm up before playing

The rule that is vital to starting any strenuous physical activity, getting your body primed for what it’s about to go through is always a good idea. Walking, jogging, or cycling beforehand can help get your cardiovascular system ready for play and decrease your risk of injury.

Stretch after playing

Once the game is over, stretching and walking while cooling down allows your body to ease joints and muscles as you become less active.

Getting into a sport like pickleball has a lot of physical benefits, but also carries risk of injury if you’re not careful. So make an appointment with Dr. Daniels and Southwest Orthopedic Associates today to make sure you’re fit to play and find out how to stay that way.