About a third of people polled in a new Harris poll for Orlando Health last month said they avoided a sport or hobby because of a distressing injury. Photo courtesy of the Association of Pickleball Professionals
Pickleball is a hot trend, and it’s getting people into exercise who haven’t been this active in a long time.
Injuries – both overuse and acute trauma – also occur, often in people aged 50 and over.
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A new survey suggests these players are skipping medical attention for injuries to their knees, wrists and rotator cuffs. Sports medicine experts are telling her not to ignore her excruciating pain.
dr Luis Gandara, a sports medicine specialist at the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Florida, sees a few types of pickleball injuries, including those made acute by a fall and those where someone has aggravated chronic pain problems, such as an existing arthritis in a hip or another joint.
“Then [there are] “The others who enjoy it so much that they either play too many hours or play too many games in a row,” Gandara said. or improper use of the equipment, such as E.g. a paddle that is too heavy, improper mechanics or using the wrong shoes to play.
About a third of people polled in a new Harris poll for Orlando Health last month said they avoided a sport or hobby because of a distressing injury. Almost half said it was not worth seeing a doctor for a sports injury they thought would heal on its own.
About 44% of respondents said it was too much work to make a doctor’s appointment for an injury that wasn’t too painful.
“In situations where, for example, a person has had an acute injury and cannot weight-bearing, walk on it immediately, or take more than three steps, it is recommended in such situations to see the patient — just to do it.” “I’m sure they don’t have a serious injury,” Gandara said.
Doing nothing could make things worse, he warned.
For a less acute injury that becomes more painful over time, a person can treat it with medication or ice for a week. However, if the injury persists, it is important to seek treatment to keep the injury from getting worse.
Robbin Murray turned to Gandara when she suffered knee pain that kept her away from pickleball court. Murray first discovered her love for pickleball a decade ago, but her pain began as she played more frequently and competitively.
“I was hooked from the start and played as much as I could throughout the day, eventually traveling to play senior tournaments,” Murray said in an Orlando Health press release. “It all added up and I got severe pain that knocked me down in the middle of the game.”
She was able to continue participating thanks to a special brace, anti-inflammatory injections and physical therapy that helped strengthen and stretch the area around her knee.
dr Jeffrey Berg, who practices sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery at Town Center Orthopedics near Washington, DC, said he, too, is seeing an increase in pickleball injuries, particularly among the elderly.
“It’s not just seniors anymore, probably half, but a good chunk of seniors, which I don’t think probably weren’t nearly as active before, but Pickleball allows you to be competitive – and that’s why they’re excited about it, to be competitive again,” he said.
“And I’m telling you, the patients I see are all about getting back to playing pickleball,” Berg added.
While it’s good to be active, it’s not good for anyone to go from inactivity to high activity very quickly, he said.
“I’ve seen some people who might have had an unrealistic understanding of how to progress in an activity, how to be careful or how much to gamble” and how much not to gamble, Berg said. “Anything can be good, but there’s a dose for everything, and sometimes you just overdo that person.”
Routine losses in balance, strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and vision that come with age can lead to falls. Falls in old age could lead to more serious injuries, Berg said.
Before you start, he recommends getting checked out by your GP.
Then, develop a basic level of conditioning before trying something more advanced like a sport—especially a sport where someone feels compelled to play even when they’re not doing well because others are counting on them.
Berg said an initial exercise program might include balance, flexibility, strengthening and aerobic conditioning.
When returning to exercise after an injury, he advised, start slowly and build up gradually.
“If you’re in pain while playing, there’s a good chance you’re making it worse rather than better,” Berg said.
In general, Gandara recommends people stay active, but for those starting again, he too recommends seeing a GP first.
Then make sure you have the right gear and understand the sport, he said.
“Always start slow and go slow,” Gandara said. “If you try to get into an activity too quickly and too quickly, it increases the likelihood of an injury or an overuse injury.”
The online survey was conducted June 15-20 among 2,076 US adults ages 18 and older. The margin of error is plus/minus 2.7 percentage points.
More information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information on how older adults can add physical activity.
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