As pickleball's popularity grows, so do play-related injuries

BALTIMORE -- Pickleball has exploded since the onset of the pandemic, and is now considered one of the fastest-growing sports. 

As the trendy sport of pickleball gains a following, it's also gaining play-related injuries, adding up to hundreds of millions of dollars in medical costs.

WJZ spoke with a local woman recovering from a pickleball injury, and got advice from her doctor to ensure a safer experience for players. 

Julie Scully is easing her way back into the game of pickleball as she recovers from a rotator cuff surgery.

"I went for one last overhead and that was about the end of it," she said. "So I felt it go in that moment. And then went and got it looked at and got an MRI."  

The 48-year-old comes from an athletic background -- playing lacrosse for years and recently tennis and pickleball.

Combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, this paddle sport is attracting players of all ages due to its relatively simple rules and easy access.

"There's a lot of movement, a lot of competition, but you can play at different paces and you can play at different ages," she said. 

While it's often highlighted as a low-impact sport, health professionals are noticing an unprecedented rise in pickleball-related injuries.

"I would say pretty much on a weekly basis, we are seeing between three and five patients with some type of injuries related to pickleball," said Dr. John-Paul Rue, an Orthopedic Sports Medicine Surgeon at Mercy Medical Center. 

According to Dr. Rue, people over the age of 50 to 60 are getting hurt the most often.  

"The vast majority are sprains and strains, with many of those injuries being overuse injuries to the shoulder or to the knee or ankle," he said. 

This year, UBS analysts are projecting medical costs related to pickleball injuries could climb to nearly 400 million dollars.

So, how can you enjoy the paddle sport while protecting your body - and your wallet?

Be sure to stretch, and then do some more stretching. Make sure you're playing on appropriate surfaces, and make sure you're playing with appropriate gear.

Its been nearly 10 months since Scully's procedure. 

"I was warned, it's not a good recovery, it's a very tough surgery," she said. "I don't think no matter how much someone warns you, it's still a shock when you can't raise your arm."

But now, little by little, she's seeing improvement. Allowing her to be able to get back on the court, swinging her racket again.

"I would say I'm about 90 percent," she said. "My strength isn't quite 90 percent but my mobility is."

By prioritizing safety and taking necessary precautions, Scully wants others to know they can continue to enjoy pickleball while minimizing the risk of injuries.

"I would honestly say just don't underestimate what it can do to your body," she said. "Because a lot of people look at it as a sport for much older people and it's really not, you can make it anything you want it to be.

Data from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association shows the number of recreational pickleball players has soared from 3.5 million in 2019 to nearly nine million in 2022.

This year, experts predict the number of players will jump to 22 million.