Pickleball and mental health in adults: A systematic review

Pickleball: A Standard Review of Injury Prevalence and Prevention in a Rapidly Growing Sport

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. People of all ages participate in the sport, with the most being aged 35 years or older. Pickleball is a paddle and racket sport with a smaller court size, lighter racket, and similar rules as tennis. From 2019 to 2021, the number of pickleball players increased from 3.3 to 4.8 million. Historically, as a sport grows in popularity, there tends to be a linear increase in injuries. This review compiles data from retrospective studies containing emergency department data and case reports of specific injuries sustained playing pickleball. One factor that could be perceived as favorable concerning injury risk is the smaller court size compared with tennis, although no correlation has been found between court size and rate of injury. The most common injuries presenting to the emergency department among pickleball players were muscle strains, joint sprains, and fractures. Men were three times more likely to sustain muscle strains and joint sprains while women were three times more likely to sustain fractures. As the sport continues to grow, the tracking of injury types and mechanisms of injury will become important in informing injury prevention strategies and improved safety for players.

Pickleball Participation and the Health and Well-Being of Adults-A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Pickleball has grown tremendously in recent years, yet little evidence exists regarding pickleball-related injuries. This scoping review extends current work on pickleball participation by identifying positive and negative health effects associated with the sport. We summarize how pickleball impacts the health and well-being of adult participants.

METHODS

Searches were conducted on MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest Nursing, ERIC, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, Scopus, CBCA Complete, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Selected studies considered aspects of health and/or well-being of adult pickleball participants. Using the population/concept/context framework, participants were healthy, able-bodied adults 18 years of age or over, who had played pickleball at least once. The positive and negative outcomes of pickleball on participants' health and well-being (concept) within the context of pickleball participation were examined. Full-text articles written in English since 2013 were included. Extracted data were tabulated, and a descriptive summary with thematic analysis was completed.

RESULTS

This scoping review comprised 27 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Pickleball is promising as an exercise intervention for all adults, and there is evidence of positive social and psychological effects, and health and fitness benefits to participating in pickleball by older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Although we are still in the early stages of studying pickleball, there have been some documented health benefits of using the sport as a physical exercise intervention for adults. More research is needed on the types, prevalence, and severity of pickleball injuries and the sport's impact on younger players.

Quite a Pickle: A 10-Year Increase in Pickleball-Related Hand Injuries

BACKGROUND

Pickleball popularity has significantly increased in the United States. Wrist, hand, and finger injuries are commonly seen among pickleball players and are on the rise.

METHODS

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried from 2013 to 2022 tennis- and pickleball-related injuries in the United States. Data were filtered to include wrist, hand, and finger injuries only.

RESULTS

There were a total of 12 021 estimated pickleball injuries between 2013 and 2022, most commonly in white women greater than 55 years old. The most common mechanism of injury (90.5%) was a fall. The number of injuries increased by 765.6% between 2013 and 2022. The growth in the number of pickleball-related injuries was found to be statistically significant (P < .05), whereas the growth for tennis-related injuries was found to be not statistically different from 0. There was a statistical difference between the growth of the number of pickleball injuries per year and the number of tennis injuries. The wrist was the most common location of injury (70.0%) compared with the hand (10.5%) and fingers (19.5%). The most common injury diagnosis was fracture (60.3%). Overall, the most common injury was wrist fracture (50.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Hand surgeons should be aware of the increasing prevalence of pickleball-related injuries as an alternative mechanism of injury, particularly among the elderly.

Treating Geriatric Sports Injury Among Pickleball Players: A Narrative Review of an Exercise Craze Among Seniors

The sudden and enormous popularity of pickleball has included a surprising and large contingent of geriatric players. Similar to tennis and badminton, pickleball is a game with a short learning curve that offers low-impact cardiovascular benefits. Unlike tennis, most injuries in pickleball are sustained by older rather than younger players. In fact, pickleball-related injuries increase with increasing age. Such injuries include strains, sprains, joint pain, falls, and fractures. The most affected joints are the wrists, shoulders, knees, and ankles. Clinicians can advise their older pickleball patients on strategies and tips to minimize the risk of injury. This may be particularly important because many older individuals playing pickleball today were previously sedentary. Older people may be attracted to pickleball because it is an inclusive sport with a high socialization factor. Nevertheless, pickleball can deliver an excellent cardiovascular workout and it may be an example of a successful way to promote exercise among older people and those who resist exercise.