Pickleball: Review and Clinical Recommendations for this Fast-growing Sport

Curr Sports Med Rep. 2020 Oct;19(10):406-413. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000759.

Abstract

Pickleball is a single or doubles volley sport played with paddles and ball on a hardcourt. Growing in popularity in recent years, injuries can occur similar to racquet sports; however, there is a scarcity of references in the literature for sports medicine providers encountering these athletes and injuries. This review provides clinicians treating pickleball athletes with an overview of the sport, a case study demonstrating the significant injuries that can occur in pickleball, and a review of the available literature. We provide a discussion on common pickleball injuries, injury prevention strategies, and event coverage recommendations to better equip sports medicine providers with a base of knowledge and a clinical approach to treat these athletes, or "picklers," who enjoy this fast-growing sport.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Hamstring Tendons / diagnostic imaging
  • Hamstring Tendons / injuries*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Pain / etiology
  • Physical Conditioning, Human / methods
  • Physical Therapy Modalities
  • Racquet Sports / injuries*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sports Equipment
  • Thigh
  • Warm-Up Exercise