Copyright timesnownews
Pickleball might look easy to pick up, but that doesn’t mean it won’t challenge players physically. The sport has been identified as one of the most injury-prone sports. Players are facing a range of issues, from elbow strains to ankle sprains and even eye injuries. While the rise in pickleball-related injuries is concentrated in the United States, the birthplace of the sport, the trend is spreading worldwide. The game can be physically demanding, involving quick movements, sudden changes in direction, and repetitive actions that strain muscles and joints, reported CNA. Muscle sprains, aches The pickleball community is growing rapidly in Singapore. In fact, clinics in the Lion City said that the number of pickleball-related injuries they have treated has doubled as the sport’s popularity has surged. According to the report, common injuries include muscle strains and eye trauma. One such clinic is the Arete Orthopaedic Centre, which has seen twice as many patients with pickleball-related injuries this year compared to last year, according to CNA. Dr. Wang Lushun, a senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Arete, told CNA that this rise may be due to players underestimating the sport’s physical demands. “This game brings certain kinds of challenges that are different in mechanics compared to other paddle or racquet sports,” Dr. Wang said. “In pickleball, there are a lot of sudden side-to-side movements, which can cause knee and ankle twisting. There’s also quite a lot of forward and backward play—when you go in for the drop shot, you may need to run backwards quickly. All these movements can catch players off guard, leading to falls and injuries.”
