PICKLEBALL INJURIES ON THE RISE

A team of researchers at Swiss investment bank UBS has calculated that pickleball injuries are poised to cost Americans at least $377 million this year. The wildly popular game, a cross between tennis, ping-pong and badminton, has become America’s fastest-growing sport, with an estimated 22.3 million players this year. The study found that injuries such as sprains were suffered by 33% of picklers, followed by fractures (28%) and contusions (10%). Patients 50 years and older accounted for 90% of the pickleball-induced injuries. The study estimates that there will be 67,000 pickleball-related emergency room visits in 2023, plus 366,000 outpatient visits; 8,800 outpatient surgeries; 4,700 hospitalizations; and 20,000 post-acute episodes.
* Here come the warning labels!
* Are these people playing with pickleballs that have spikes sticking out?
* How many will get a ball lodged in their throat from a granny-slam?
* Sprains, fractures and contusions. And most are from middle-aged pickleballers high-fiving each other.
* Going by these numbers, MMA fighting is safer for grandpa than pickleball.