As pickleball grows in popularity, it could come at a cost, according to a new report from UBS.
The track game, which has been dubbed a fastest growing sport in the country, it was projected to cost Americans $377 million in health care costs by 2023 due to pickleball-related injuries. Additionally, the report found that pickleball injuries could account for 5% to 10% percent of total unexpected medical costs this year.
Analysts predicted 22.3 million people will play pickleball this year, with seniors making up one-third of the “core players,” according to the report (obtained by Bloomberg).
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With its popularity among retirees, pickleball-related injuries occur more frequently in the elderly. According to Study 2021more than 85 percent of pickleball-induced emergency room visits between 2010 and 2019 occurred in people over age 60.
The most common injuries in sports are strains, sprains and fractures of wrists and legs.
UBS analysts estimated that pickleball injuries are expected to account for about 67,000 emergency room visits, 366,000 outpatient visits and nearly 9,000 outpatient surgeries this year alone.
“Although we generally think of exercise as having a positive impact on health outcomes, the ‘can-do’ attitude of today’s seniors may pose a greater risk in other areas such as sports injuries, giving leading to a greater number of orthopedic procedures,” analysts warned.
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