Pickleball's Wrath

[FryDog62]

Been wintering at a place in Florida the past few years that has a 500 acre freshwater lake with bass, golf course, tennis, pickleball, bocce, etc.  I played a lot of racquetball back in my 20's and 30's and have been strongly encouraged to get into Pickleball here. I KNOW I would like it - probably a lot. But have resisted because I keep hearing of all the injuries. After getting fitted with a Stent in January, my priority is to be fit enough to launch and retrieve my heavy kayak and fish/cast a lot so I don't want to risk injury and mess up my priorities! 

 

The workout facility I use here overlooks the pickleball courts and I have seen 2-3 people since January get hauled out by ambulance - broken arms, shoulder injuries, etc. Not just all old people, one kid in his late 20's. 

 

Then, my wife succumbs to the pressure to get into Pickleball.  Takes 2 lessons - and then CRUNCH. She plays her first game, is going back on a ball and trips/falls and breaks her back. Compression fracture of her L3. You can see from the photo the top and bottom vertebrae should look almost square from this angle... the one in the middle is compressed to about 60% of its original size, there's a fracture, and plenty of jangled bone fragments. 

 

Almost everyone I talk to has a war story about injuries playing pickleball. So here's my annual PSA warning: "Friends don't let Friends play Pickleball !"

[TnRiver46]

Ouch man, hope she heals up as fast as possible. My game playing days are long behind me 

 

a buddy of mine was 2nd baseman in high school, he’s obsessed with it. He got all excited about company softball when we were in our 30s and tore his groin the first game. Finally healed near the end of the season and he tore it again. He finally believes me that he’s not in high school anymore 

[roadwarrior]

Everyone seems to think Pickle Ball is easy and designed for old farts.

Injuries are quite common. Stick to fishing and be careful!

[gim]

That's unfortunate about your wife, Fryer.  Hoping for a full and speedy recovery.

 

I like it.  I just started playing it last winter.  I have been playing racquetball, tennis, ping pong, and badminton for most of my life off and on, but until last year I hadn't played pickle ball.  I went down to the local gym one time last winter and tried it.

 

It was essentially all older people that were playing doubles.  I jumped in line, and hopped on the court solo mission against a couple of older fellas.  They asked me if I had a partner and I said I could play solo.  At first, they clobbered me, but I picked up on it pretty quick.  By the third game, I had those two shaking their heads at me.  As I was leaving, another person came up to me and asked how long I had been playing.  I told him "never, this is my first time."  The look on that guy's face was priceless.  I'm pretty tall and I have long arms, so my reach is  good, aka the "wingspan."  So I can get to just about anything and play endless defense.  The one downside is that games go on a lot longer.  But my endurance is usually better than my opponent's.

 

I've tried to find more competitive leagues or tournaments around me.  There aren't any.  I'm not trying to join some semi-pro traveling tour or anything, I just want to play younger, more athletic, higher caliber players (no doubles).  I've since gone back to playing racquetball because there are leagues with the type of demographic I'm looking for.

[FryDog62]

4 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That's unfortunate about your wife, Fryer.  Hoping for a full and speedy recovery.

 

I like it.  I just started playing it last winter.  I have been playing racquetball, tennis, ping pong, and badminton for most of my life off and on, but until last year I hadn't played pickle ball.  I went down to the local gym one time last winter and tried it.

 

It was essentially all older people that were playing doubles.  I jumped in line, and hopped on the court solo mission against a couple of older fellas.  They asked me if I had a partner and I said I could play solo.  At first, they clobbered me, but I picked up on it pretty quick.  By the third game, I had those two shaking their heads at me.  As I was leaving, another person came up to me and asked how long I had been playing.  I told him "never, this is my first time."  The look on that guy's face was priceless.

 

I've tried to find more competitive leagues or tournaments around me.  There aren't any.  I'm not trying to join some semi-pro traveling tour or anything, I just want to play younger, more athletic, higher caliber players (no doubles).  I've since gone back to playing racquetball because there are leagues with the type of demographic I'm looking for.

Wish I still played racquetball... back in the day played a lot of tournaments in the Low A league... A blast!  

[gim]

3 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Wish I still played racquetball... back in the day played a lot of tournaments in the Low A league... A blast!  

I've never experienced a serious injury playing a racquet sport.  I've been pegged by the racquetball a couple times that leave a welt, but those heal.  I'm sure my injury-free days will come to an end someday.  But as long as my health and athleticism holds up, I'm gonna keep playing these racquet sports.  Its good exercise so it keeps me in shape and its a lot better than running on treadmill.

[A-Jay]

49 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Been wintering at a place in Florida the past few years that has a 500 acre freshwater lake with bass, golf course, tennis, pickleball, bocce, etc.  I played a lot of racquetball back in my 20's and 30's and have been strongly encouraged to get into Pickleball here. I KNOW I would like it - probably a lot. But have resisted because I keep hearing of all the injuries. After getting fitted with a Stent in January, my priority is to be fit enough to launch and retrieve my heavy kayak and fish/cast a lot so I don't want to risk injury and mess up my priorities! 

 

The workout facility I use here overlooks the pickleball courts and I have seen 2-3 people since January get hauled out by ambulance - broken arms, shoulder injuries, etc. Not just all old people, one kid in his late 20's. 

 

Then, my wife succumbs to the pressure to get into Pickleball.  Takes 2 lessons - and then CRUNCH. She plays her first game, is going back on a ball and trips/falls and breaks her back. Compression fracture of her L3. You can see from the photo the top and bottom vertebrae should look almost square from this angle... the one in the middle is compressed to about 60% of its original size, there's a fracture, and plenty of jangled bone fragments. 

 

Almost everyone I talk to has a war story about injuries playing pickleball. So here's my annual PSA warning: "Friends don't let Friends play Pickleball !"

Really sorry to hear about your wife's injury.

Hope she's not in a lot of pain and she can heal quickly.

Thanks for the PSA.

A-Jay

[GaryH]

52 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Been wintering at a place in Florida the past few years that has a 500 acre freshwater lake with bass, golf course, tennis, pickleball, bocce, etc.  I played a lot of racquetball back in my 20's and 30's and have been strongly encouraged to get into Pickleball here. I KNOW I would like it - probably a lot. But have resisted because I keep hearing of all the injuries. After getting fitted with a Stent in January, my priority is to be fit enough to launch and retrieve my heavy kayak and fish/cast a lot so I don't want to risk injury and mess up my priorities! 

 

The workout facility I use here overlooks the pickleball courts and I have seen 2-3 people since January get hauled out by ambulance - broken arms, shoulder injuries, etc. Not just all old people, one kid in his late 20's. 

 

Then, my wife succumbs to the pressure to get into Pickleball.  Takes 2 lessons - and then CRUNCH. She plays her first game, is going back on a ball and trips/falls and breaks her back. Compression fracture of her L3. You can see from the photo the top and bottom vertebrae should look almost square from this angle... the one in the middle is compressed to about 60% of its original size, there's a fracture, and plenty of jangled bone fragments. 

 

Almost everyone I talk to has a war story about injuries playing pickleball. So here's my annual PSA warning: "Friends don't let Friends play Pickleball !"

Hope your wife can recover quickly and pain free. 

[MN Fisher]

Chris - best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to your wife.

 

Maybe suggest shuffleboard.

[FryDog62]

My wife just talked to a friend of ours staying a mile away... was just playing pickleball yesterday and another woman in the group fell, separated her shoulder and broke her arm... 

 

The wrath continues ~ 

[TnRiver46]

This reminds me of my friends that go snow skiing. All but one of them have injured themselves, usually an ACL 

[Darth-Baiter]

dang.  pickleball?

 

it was really just the fall right?   the sport looks innocous enough.  i hope she bounces back quickly and completly.

 

i am about to go and help my friend assemble his competition ping pong table.  our group gets intense.  

[FryDog62]

47 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

dang.  pickleball?

 

it was really just the fall right?   the sport looks innocous enough.  i hope she bounces back quickly and completly.

 

i am about to go and help my friend assemble his competition ping pong table.  our group gets intense.  

Lol, technically you should be ok w/ping pong… but maybe wear eye protection and a flak-jacket just in case! 

[Darth-Baiter]

Helmet 

[Hawgfinder]

Seriously though I asked my sister about pickle ball are there quick moves and she’s like I guess so, well two quick moves blew out both my Achilles, playing basketball and running in flip flops for 9 feet two different occasions, my daughter asked if I would play ping pong again, pretty serious in our household for years and my game was lots of spin and wrist action, after two wrist surgeries that’s gone also, so no judgement here