{"id":28218,"date":"2023-06-27T13:24:15","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T17:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/investing\/pickleball-injuries-already-account-for-377-million-this-year-heres-how-to-play-safely\/"},"modified":"2023-06-27T13:24:16","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T17:24:16","slug":"pickleball-injuries-already-account-for-377-million-this-year-heres-how-to-play-safely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/?p=28218","title":{"rendered":"Pickleball injuries already account for $377 million this year \u2014 here\u2019s how to play safely"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

As pickleball surges in popularity, so do the costs for treating injured players \u2014 to the tune of $377 million this year alone in the U.S., according to a new analyst estimate from UBS
\n UBS,
\n +0.72%<\/bg-quote>.<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

But it doesn\u2019t have to be this way, says Dr. Sanjay Saint, co-author of \u201cPickleball for Life: Prevent Injury, Play Your Best, & Enjoy the Game\u201d (Michigan Publishing Services, 2023).<\/p>\n

\n

The UBS report has generated lots of buzz, which is perhaps no surprise given that pickleball, a game that shares elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, is often described as the fastest-growing sport in the country. Nearly\u00a09 million Americans are now playing the game, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports \u2014 an astounding year-over-year increase of 85.7%.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the increase in medical costs is even more dramatic: The UBS report says the $377 million figure represents a 156% spike over the previous year.<\/p>\n

Saint, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan and chief of medicine at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, is a self-described pickleball addict who\u2019s no stranger to being injured. He says his playing has resulted in numerous medical problems, from pulled calf and groin muscles to plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the band of tissue at the bottom of the foot.<\/p>\n

MarketWatch spoke with Saint on Tuesday to get his reaction to the UBS report and see what he advises when it comes to staying safe on the pickleball court.<\/p>\n

Why are so many players getting injured?<\/h2>\n

Saint says he isn\u2019t the least bit surprised by the UBS report\u2019s findings. As he explains, part of the issue is that pickleball is a relatively accessible sport, which in turn means it attracts older players who may be more prone to injury. (The UBS report notes that 86% of pickleball-related emergency-room visits are among those age 60 and up.)<\/p>\n

The other problem is how the game is played: While it\u2019s a low-impact sport that is generally perceived as being not too taxing, it will require sudden bursts of energy \u2014 say, to chase a ball that\u2019s landed close to the net. \u201cThat\u2019s when you see lots of injuries occur,\u201d Saint says. In effect, players think they can tackle what they often can\u2019t. \u201cOur minds think like we\u2019re teenagers,\u201d Saint adds.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

What type of injuries are we talking about?<\/h2>\n

As Saint\u2019s own experience attests, lots of different things can happen. In particular, strains of the hamstring, lower back and Achilles tendon are common, Saint says. And a tear of the Achilles tendon is really bad news, Saint says: \u201cThat\u2019s like a nine-month rehab.\u201d<\/p>\n

But another biggie is wrist-related injuries \u2014 strains, broken bones, etc. \u2014 from players trying to break a fall using their hands. Saint says they\u2019re termed FOOSH injuries, as in Fall Onto an OutStretched Hand. Indeed, the UBS report says the wrist is the number-one body part injured in pickleball, accounting for 13.2% of problems.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget pickleball elbow, either, Saint says. It\u2019s like tennis elbow, only it\u2019s experienced by, well, pickleballers.<\/p>\n

So, what can players do to avoid injury?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s all about stretching and staying limber. He advocates that players have a daily routine of stretching and aerobics \u2014 mornings are especially good for this \u2014 but they should also stretch for up to 15 minutes immediately before starting a pickleball session. He provides videos of different stretching routines via YouTube
\n GOOGL,
\n -0.08%<\/bg-quote>.<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

What if you arrive on the court without time to stretch?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s inevitable that sometimes you\u2019ll be in a rush to get to your pickleball match. Saint says it\u2019s still best to squeeze in at least a couple minutes of stretching before playing. But failing the ability to do that, he advocates taking it slowly for the first game or two. \u201cInstead of giving it 100%, give it 70%,\u201d he says. In effect, those games become a form of stretching.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

Do you need any special footwear? Any other gear or materials?<\/h2>\n

Saint strongly advises that you use sneakers designed for playing court sports, such as tennis. He explains that they\u2019re especially good at providing support when you\u2019re moving from side to side, which is very much part of pickleball.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re playing outdoors, sunscreen is a must \u2014 Saint uses one with at least an SPF rating of 50 \u2014 as well as a decent-sized hat. \u201cIf they\u2019re not laughing at your hat, it\u2019s not big enough,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

When should you seek medical attention for a pickleball injury?<\/h2>\n

If you can\u2019t put any weight on the part that\u2019s injured, that\u2019s a sign you need to seek immediate medical care, such as in an emergency room or urgent-care facility, Saint says. That\u2019s because you\u2019re likely looking at a tear or rupture.<\/p>\n

But if your symptoms are less severe, Saint says you can rest for two or three days and try icing to reduce any inflammation of an aching body part. And while it\u2019s tempting to reach for pain relievers, such as Ibuprofen, Saint advises caution since there can be complications from using those. If symptoms don\u2019t improve after two or three days and your discomfort is at a level of about five or higher on a 1-10 scale, Saint says it\u2019s worth reaching out to your medical provider.<\/p>\n

And what should you do if you\u2019re sidelined by a pickleball injury?<\/h2>\n

Listen to what your doctor says and don\u2019t rush back to the court, even if it means a long rehab time, Saint says. Admittedly, that can be frustrating since pickleball is very much a game built around camaraderie \u2014 and many pickleballers have an entire social network connected to the sport. But if that\u2019s the case, Saint says, just show up and cheer your fellow pickleballers on \u2014 you can maintain the connections without playing. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As pickleball surges in popularity, so do the costs for treating injured players \u2014 to the tune of $377 million this year alone in the U.S., according to a new analyst estimate from UBS UBS, +0.72%. But it doesn\u2019t have to be this way, says Dr. Sanjay Saint, co-author of \u201cPickleball for Life: Prevent Injury, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[239],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-28218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-investing","tag-featured","post_format-post-format-video"],"yoast_head":"\nPickleball injuries already account for $377 million this year \u2014 here\u2019s how to play safely | iFintechWorld<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As pickleball surges in popularity, so do the costs for treating injured players \u2014 to the tune of $377 million this year alone in the U.S., according to a\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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