Eisenhower Health reports rise in pickleball injuries in older adults

Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage is reporting a surge in pickleball-related injuries among older adults. The rise in injuries is attributed to the game's growing popularity and the ease of play, which has drawn a significant number of older players to the sport.

"People often think they won't get injured playing pickleball, but when you're not anticipating what could happen, that's when these injuries occur," said Dr. Rajiv Tailor, Medical Director of the Eisenhower Sports Medicine Clinic, in a recent newsletter.

According to Dr. Tailor, the most common injuries resulting from pickleball include arthritis flare-ups, pickleball elbow, rotator cuff damage, strained hamstrings, sprained ankles, and Achilles tendon issues.

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"In most cases, if we give it some time and do the appropriate measures - ice, gentle stretching, rest, anti-inflammatories if needed - we should see a recovery, but as we age, the body often doesn't recover as quickly as we'd like," he said.

To prevent injuries, Dr. Tailor advises pickleball players, especially older adults, to warm up and cool down with stretching and range-of-motion exercises. He also recommends being aware of their body's signals to ease up or take a break, and using functional braces if they have orthopedic conditions like osteoarthritis.