Pickleball has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years, especially among seniors. But injuries caused by the sport could cost Americans almost $400 million this year, according to a note from analysts at UBS Group AG.

Pickleball injuries could cost nearly $400M this year

A report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association found that pickleball has seen a 113.1% increase in participation between 2020 and 2022, and UBS notes the sport is expected to see a 150% jump in players this year, reaching 22.3 million. UBS analysts also noted that pickleball players tend to have high incomes, with almost half making more than $100,000 per year.

According to UBS, seniors make up around a third of "core players" of pickleball, or those who play at least eight times a year.

Citing two studies on pickleball-related injuries, the analysts concluded that pickleball players go to the ED at a rate of around 0.27%, with the majority of injuries occurring among those ages 60 and older. The most common injuries are strains, sprains, and fractures, with wrist-related injuries accounting for most problems.

As a result of increases in pickleball participation this year, UBS estimated that the sport will lead to:

• 67,000 ED visits
• 366,000 outpatient visits
• 8,800 outpatient surgeries
• 4,700 hospitalizations
• 20,000 post-acute episodes

UBS analysts estimated these trips and procedures will result in around $377 million in medical costs, 80% of which will be in an outpatient setting.

UBS noted that pickleball is "a microcosm for broader trends in the senior population that may have an outsize impact during the reopening phase."

"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 analysts said.

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Sanjay Saint, chief of medicine at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, said UBS's findings aren't surprising to him.

While pickleball is a low-impact sport generally perceived to not be too taxing on the body, it does require sudden bursts of energy, and "that's when you see lots of injuries occur," Saint said. Often players may think they can do something they actually can't. "Our minds think like we're teenagers," Saint added.

According to Saint, it's best to stretch a little before playing pickleball. If you're unable to do that, he recommends taking it slow for the first game or two. "Instead of giving it 100%, give it 70%," he said. This effectively turns those first couple of games into a form of stretching.

Saint also strongly recommends pickleball players use sneakers designed for playing court sports, like tennis. These sneakers are especially good at providing support when moving side to side. And if you're playing pickleball outside, Saint says sunscreen is essential, one with at least an SPF rating of 50, alongside a large hat.

"If they're not laughing at your hat, it's not big enough," Saint said. (Bohannon, Forbes, 6/27; Weisenthal, Bloomberg, 6/26; Passy, Market Watch, 6/28)