Surgeon general endorsement -
The article says there are 50 million US pickleball players. So I thought CC should have a Pickleball thread. I started with a group class in June, sponsored by the local rec center (they provided paddles and balls ).
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I would love to play pickle ball for the social aspect. But I know personally 4 people who have had serious injuries and they are athletic types. One had her wrist broken and the other had surgery and was on a knee scooter for 3 months. He’s a doctor and his surgeon told him never to play again.
I’m seriously just a bit scared to play.
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I started playing pickleball at my gym (Lifetime Fitness) in May. A friend of mine is part of a women’s group that had formed to play together, and she encouraged me to join. Both of us were struggling a bit with how to best fill some of our new free time and how to stay active during cold winters and hot summers. I did a one session clinic at the club to get started, and then jumped right into the women’s group - had no issue picking up the basic skills and was immediately hooked!
While I would not have said I was lonely per se pre-pickleball, it has given me an immediate social outlet with a group of about 25 lovely women around my age, who I now interact with several mornings a week. I feel incredibly blessed to have found a group that plays regularly, is not uber-competitive, and is very welcoming and supportive of new players. And just genuinely nice people. So the article’s premise about social connection absolutely rings true for me. Added bonus is regularly scheduled FUN fitness! As a former high school athlete, I love playing a competitive sport again. It really adds a whole new dimension to life in general and fitness in particular.
Another positive aspect of the game is having to focus intently. It allows me to shut out all the outside noise in my life for 90 minutes. And having to remember the score is a daily mental challenge for the brain!
As for injuries @conmama - I know 4 people in my orbit who have had serious pet-related broken bone injuries recently - broken shoulder, badly broken wrist, broken knee cap, shattered leg bone (3 were dog-related and one was slipping on kitchen floor after kicking the cat’s water bowl.) And none of those people are getting rid of their pets, because they bring them joy. So I have chosen to not let the “what if” keep me from doing something that brings me joy and is otherwise good for my health both physically and mentally. I also believe that pickleball accidents are most common when there is pressure to win, and/or you are playing at a level above your ability. Going hard to win a point is the most dangerous scenario for injury. Fortunately, my group is laid back and there is no pressure to win games. And as senior women, we do try to be mindful of not going too hard.
Overall my experience is that the pickleball community is wonderfully welcoming, because everyone wants to spread the game and meet new players. I encourage anyone interested to give it a try - find a local clinic or buy a cheap paddle set and grab a friend and head to an outside court, where you are sure to meet other players!
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@conmama I am sorry to hear about those injuries…but those same injuries can happen doing any number of things…like going up and down your stairs.
Perhaps give it a try…it’s not as fast paced as tennis. Many seniors around here have picked up pickle ball, and find it very fun.
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The octogenarians in our family are still playing pickleball and have a very active club with people their age. This wouldn’t be a sport I would be super worried about injuries unless playing super aggressively.
Since COVID I have been more isolated. I wish I could play pickleball. I see friends meeting people and having fun a few times a week. I also wish I could dance. I have spinal fractures and various other issues. For anyone who cannot play pickleball, I encourage trying tai chi!
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I was hoping H and I could do this, but with his back issues it’s not an option for him. I really wanted to learn together as I have a number of other things I do without him.
That said, we talked to some friends last night and they love it, it has been a great social and fitness activity for them.
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I’m a Scrooge. As a tennis player, I don’t like pickleball. More than once, my husband and I have been asked to leave a TENNIS COURT after playing for only a few minutes. The fact that more pickleball players can fit on a court supposedly justifies kicking off tennis players.
I also find the WHACK sound, over and over and over again, to be as annoying as heck. 7 am at a campground, really?
But I know it’s a losing fight, ha.
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My 86 year old mom played tennis all her life and now she has switched to pickleball.
I play tennis, and like tennis, pickleball checks a lot of boxes, it is physical, mental and social. Tennis brings me a lot of happiness so I am happy that a lot of people have found something that gets them active and makes them happy. What I don’t like is that pickleball often takes away tennis courts. And tennis is still alive and well with more people playing than ever.
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There is definite risk of injury, and I was surprised it was not mentioned in the article. My husband (who opted not to learn pickleball) was quite concerned about this. So I asked about injury prevention tips in class.
The beginner class instructor said the two main causes of injury are stepping on loose balls and falling backward. To mitigate the first risk, he teaches all the players to yell “Ball!” or “Ball On!” to alert others of the risk. (And we try to not leave any just laying on the courts during practice).
He also said most of the backward falls are when players lean backward to hit a high lob. He advised against doing so because often the returned ball will go out anyway. In subsequent drill classes (with local PB club… $3 fee to church for times it’s been at th the indoor courts, other wise free with $25 annual membership) this was addressed more. We were given three safer alternatives. 1) sides shuffle back to the ball, not easy for me. 2) turn to run back then turn back to hit the ball 3) often the best alternative - yell “YOURS!” to partner. We practiced serving high lobs to each other, trying each method.
The other thing that will be helpful for me and others I play with is that we are just not that competitive, never gonna be. We are there for the exercise, the fresh air (when outdoors - got lucky last week twice on weather for that… glorious!!), the social aspects. Not sure any of us will ever get to the level where we care overly much about the score.
I guess my last comment is that you have to weigh the risk of PB over what you’d be doing otherwise. Walking, swimming, yoga, Zumba, weightlifting etc are great! But if the alternative is more Netflix on the couch with unhealthy snacks (definite temptations for me) or “beer curls” at the pub, then PB could make sense IF you take the time to learn how to play safely.
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Everything has risk associated with it, getting into the shower, swallowing food, driving a car, etc. The key is putting those things in context and deciding whether or not the increased risk is worth the reward.
For me personally, I love skiing. I don’t fall often, but I had a subdural hematoma from a fluke crash early in 2023. I had an embolization and still ski, both on piste and in the backcountry.
Why? I try to live by the adage “always make room for the things that make you happy that you’re alive.” Pickleball certainly fits into that bucket.
I did give up cycling. I used to ride 5 days a week, on and off road. It no longer brings me enough joy to justify the risk.
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My spouse (late 50s) has been playing PB for a few years now, and loves it. They enjoy the sport and the social. They play indoors and out. No injuries. Early on, I did make him buy good “court” shoes because I read about a lot of knee injuries (the side-to-side movement). He play about 4 times a week.
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Would like to hear from a few more pickleballers. What do you like about it? How does it do raising your heart rate? Have you noticed any physical improvements - visual or otherwise as a result of playing???
It’s on list to learn. But a priority will be to only play with those who are not overly competitive - for injuries sake and also for my mental state, lol, as I do not enjoy an over competitive atmosphere.
You know who you are. Can you play just for fun? Are you competitive? Can you reel in your enthusiasm to care for you body while you play - or not?? Those are questions to ask yourself.
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I play tennis year round and paddle tennis in fall/winter. I’ve taken pickle lessons and played a bunch and just don’t care for it. Reminds me of ping pong. But, I so enjoy being out on a court with friends that I love to see the pickle courts around here packed at all times even though I won’t play. It’s movement and social and pretty easy to learn. It’s also fun to learn something new.
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My daughter dislocated her knee playing pickleball in high school, which weakened the ligaments. Over the course of the next 10 years she had several more dislocations of that knee and finally had to have surgery to repair it.
Also hesitant, despite interest, due to several friends getting injured.
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I agree with this. If only the inventors of pickleball had chosen to use a quieter ball and/or a quieter paddle! A temporary pickleball court was once set up in a parking lot directly behind my house, about 20 feet from my patio. The constant intrusive loud piercing thwack noise made it unpleasant to be in my yard. That was only one court; I can absolutely understand the noise complaints when suddenly multiple courts pop up in a neighborhood.
Apparently there are quieter paddle options available but they haven’t caught on.
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I think you hit the nail on the head in regards to enjoyment/risk. My husband is a surfer. Argh…he obviously feels he gets so much more joy than the risk of getting eaten by a shark.
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We took a beginner level pickleball lesson at our local rec center back in March; it was just 90 minutes long and indoors. For me, it was my first racquet sport other than casual ping pong. We had a fun time learning the basic rules, then played in a beginner pickleball league session at the rec center, and have been playing drop-in pickleball on Sunday afternoons there when we can.
Overall, the beginner players are very friendly and encouraging to each other, and we chat and make small talk while waiting for a court to open. It seems as skills improve, some of the attitude starts to get more competitive but I’m guessing a lot of sports are like that.
We play just for fun, I think there are different drop-in times for intermediate players. I see a range of ages show up to play during drop-in times, anywhere from teens to late 70s (maybe 80s? I’m not asking ages 
). If you’ve played tennis before, I think there is some advantages but also disadvantages; I heard a lady the other day say she’s having to get used to figuring out where the paddle is in relation to the ball since she’s used to playing with a longer racquet.
It can be a good workout, just depending on the game. Last week I looked at my watch during a game and it had my heart rate at 176 while playing, but usually it’s in the 130s so I feel it’s been a good cardio activity for me.
Shoes. You need court (e.g. basketball, volleyball) shoes, not running shoes, because people trip more often with running shoes because of how the soles flare out.
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I did ask a friend who plays why are people falling so much. Just like you said, they are trotting back to hit a ball, then they fall. You’re supposed to turn around and run that way for it, but who does that? You’d miss it. I guess that’s what everyone means by being competitive. Just let it go.
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