These Injuries In New York State Reaching ‘Epidemic Proportions’

America's fastest-growing sport is causing a massive amount of very serious injuries.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals.

America's Fastest Growing Sport

Nearly 50 million Americans played pickleball in 2023, up from 4 million in 2021.

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Despite some assuming pickleball is a sport for the elderly, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, the average age for a pickleball player is 38 years old.

Pickleball Injuring Many In New York

Because many more people are playing pickleball, injuries are skyrocketing. One of the most common and devastating injuries is an Achilles tear.

Cedars-Sinai recently wrote, "Achilles tears from pickleball are reaching epidemic proportions."

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"Tennis and pickleball players frequently experience lower extremity injuries, particularly Achilles tendon tears. These injuries have become especially prevalent in pickleball, reaching epidemic proportions," Cedars-Sinai wrote in an article published about two weeks ago.

Confirmed: Achilles Tears From Pickleball Reaching Epidemic Proportions

It's an article I wish I read before going to play pickleball for the first time last Tuesday.

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Many Others Injured The Same Way

I joined an Achilles Recovery Group on Facebook. I was shocked, but I guess not surprised to see that so many others injured themselves the same way.

So much so that one person dubbed us the "pickleball rupture club."

I posted about my injury in the group and in 12 hours nearly 60 others said they tore or ruptured their Achilles playing Pickleball. Many said they were hurt the same way as me, lunging forward for a ball hit in front.

Most are in their 30s to early 40s and say before their injury they were very active.

Another person said "I had never even heard of (Pickleball) till I joined Achilles injury groups! Heard it mentioned so many times that it was the cause of an injury."

How To Avoid This Injury Playing Pickleball

Before injuring myself, I was having a great time playing pickleball. I have many friends and family members who play often and never get hurt. So don't assume by reading this article that all that play pickleball will tear or rupture their Achilles.

However, I'm writing this so all know the increased risk. It's something I wish I knew.

Cedars-Sinai offered the following tips to help others avoid this injury.

Players frequently move backward and then forward while staying very upright, with their feet aligned in the same direction. This increases the strain on the Achilles tendon. In contrast, professional pickleball and tennis athletes, who rarely experience Achilles tendon ruptures, maintain a low, athletic stance with their feet turned outward, like a duck. To prevent Achilles tendon ruptures, recreational players should adopt this lower, more stable stance with feet positioned outward.

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