So, pickleball, right? It’s not just some random hobby for folks hanging out in Florida retirement villages or whatever. The darn thing has straight up exploded across the U.S.! Like, you’d think people discovered the eighth wonder of the world. I mean, seriously, over 78,000 people are officially enrolled or something now. Which is wild, if you ask me, considering it was basically the underdog in the world of sports not too long ago.
Anyway, the paddles are pretty much the new norm at 55+ communities, and lots of these players are 50 and older. Makes sense, though. It’s not like anything good on TV happens during the day, right? But as more — let’s say ‘distinguished’ — players get hooked on it, bam, injuries skyrocket. Emergency rooms are seeing more folks over 60 limping in — or wheeling in, yikes.
But here’s the million-dollar question: Is pickleball really for everyone? In some sense, sure. The Centers for Disease Something-Or-Other says everyone should exercise a bit, and pickleball can be quite the social icebreaker. Good for the soul, supposedly. But then again, darting around like that could be heart attack central if you’re not careful. And courts are basically just accident zones waiting to happen if it’s raining outside — you slip, you go boom.
Doctors seem to be the guardians of sanity here, suggesting maybe see one before you start pretending you’re playing in the pickleball Olympic Games.
Alright, so what’s getting people hurt? Apparently, falling, twisting things, and all that jazz. The wrist and legs seem to catch the brunt of it. No surprise, people trip themselves or do the “I’m gonna dive!” move and land all wrong. There was a pretty extensive study, can’t remember the exact numbers, but older women — especially postmenopausal ones — seem to get the short end of the pickleball paddle, breaking bones and whatnot. Seriously, no sliding unless you’ve got an extra hip lying around.
And there’s a whole host of people straining muscles and whatnot. Said something about it being mostly people over 50 landing in the ER. Go figure, right? Bodies ain’t what they used to be. I mean, heat strokes? Really? But let’s face it, dehydration doesn’t play favorites.
What about comparisons? Tennis! The OG net game, right? Except pickleball’s court is smaller, making it seem like it’s for babies. But it also means less chasing balls, so yay for our knees. Still, no one’s written the book on how to stop your body from betraying you after 55, apparently.
In theory, if we’re careful, play safe, do some cardio warm-ups (which sound exhausting already), pickleball might not be the looming threat we think it is. Maybe tape up those weak spots — knees with stories of soccer careers of the past, elbows with painful reminders of last year’s awkward fall.
Bottom line is, if someone’s sane enough, they’d want to join this pickleball craze, but they better be smart about it. Start slow, avoid any unscheduled hospital trips, and maybe, just maybe, use brains before brawn. Who knows, it could be the golden ticket to fitness heaven, or just a fun way to spend an afternoon. You won’t know until you try, right?
