Gain the advantage at pickleball

What is orthopedic surgeon Paul Dimond, MD’s best health tip for pickleball players?

Play doubles, never singles.

The court sport with the funny name has taken off in popularity, but the strains, sprains and breaks are also increasing.

Big increases in elective surgeries nationwide led investment management firm USB-Bloomberg to publish a surprising note midway through 2023 naming pickleball as one reason for the increases. USB forecasted 150 percent growth in pickleball players this year and estimated Americans will spend between $250-500 million in costs tied to pickle injuries in 2023.

People age 60 and over will make up the majority of those injury cases, according to USB and other pickle studies.

“While we generally think of exercise as positively impacting health outcomes, the ‘can-do’ attitude of today's seniors can pose greater risk in other areas such as sports injuries, leading to a greater number of orthopedic procedures,” the UBS note said.

Dr. Dimond Encourages ‘Can-Do’ Attitudes

While Dr. Dimond admits he sees a lot of pickleball injuries and a wide variety of injuries, he believes in the ‘can-do’ attitude of today’s seniors. He encourages exercise as a key to good health and recently offered tips for reducing the potential risks involved in pickleball.

“As an orthopedist, I believe pickleball is a great way for people to stay active,” he said. “Pickleball encourages people to stay mobile because it’s fun! We need to maintain our mobility and our lifestyle for our lifetime, and I feel that staying in shape is good for your cardiovascular fitness; it’s a great way to socialize and prevent depression. It’s also a great way to get out in the open air. So, I do feel it is worth the risk of injury to glean the benefits of what pickleball and all sporting activities have to offer.”

Dr. Dimond, who works at Falmouth Orthopedic Center and performs surgery at Falmouth Hospital, said he has treated pickleball-related wrist fractures and sprains, hip contusions, low back strains, muscle strains (especially lower calf strains) and complete ruptures of the Achilles tendon, to name a few.

“It’s a popular game now,” he said, “and pickleball is getting some seniors into sports a little later in life, which is good for the health benefits of exercise, but a problem for some people who haven’t participated in athletics for a while. There are things everyone can do to help avoid getting hurt on the court.”

His top tip - avoiding singles play - keeps you on the court in the healthiest position.

“Doubles is the way to go because pickleball is a fast-action racket game with lots of rapid, twisting motions. If you stay on the doubles part of the court, you don’t have to cover as much ground, but you still get a great workout and have less chances of getting hurt,” Dr. Dimond said.

Tips to Avoid Pickleball Injuries

In addition to sticking to doubles play, Dr. Dimond suggested these tips for staying healthy on the pickleball court:

• Start slowly, especially if you’re a senior.
• Get into an exercise regimen that conditions and strengthens your core (abdominal muscles). “In my mind, the central piece of preventing injury are strong core muscles,” he said. “Strong abdominal and oblique muscles help prevent falls and back injuries. Lie on your back and do short arch sit-ups and hamstring stretches.”
• Stretch for 10 or 15 minutes before playing.
• If you have a history of osteoporosis, wear a wrist brace on your “off” hand (the hand that does not hold the racket). In case of trips or falls, a brace can protect the wrist, he said.
• Wear compression wraps or knee sleeves for added support if you have arthritis in your knees.
• If you have any propensity for ankle injuries, wear lace-up ankle stirrups.
• Good, supportive sneakers can be beneficial for pickle players. Dr. Dimond said a nice rocker-bottom shoe with a good arch support and a high shoe counter will give you a little extra support. (A shoe counter is a piece of supportive material found in the back of the shoe to stabilize and tighten the back of the heel that shapes around the Achilles tendon of your foot.)
• After playing any sport, spend a little time cooling down. He suggested gentle stretching.

When the game is over, even when you’ve won the match, you may have some pain and stiffness to deal with. Dr. Dimond said most people can take some over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen, for pain. Ice any aching joints, he reminded.

“That said, if someone has had a repetitive injury or a knee that is very arthritic and is giving way, then they need to talk with an orthopedist about knee replacement before they participate,” Dr. Dimond said. “Pickleball is fun, but it’s also aggressive.

“Some people should stick to something less aggressive like gentle walking and a stationary bike, which may be better tolerated. But I certainly don’t think anyone should give up something they fully enjoy, even if there’s a little risk. We all take some positive risks in our lives, and you can hardly overestimate the value of continuing to exercise and being active throughout your life.”