As pickleball rises in reputation, it would come at a price, in response to a brand new UBS report.
The courtroom recreation, which has been dubbed the fastest-growing sport within the nation, was predicted to price People $377 million in healthcare charges in 2023 as a consequence of pickleball-related accidents. Additional, the report discovered that pickleball accidents might account for five%-10% of this yr’s complete surprising medical prices.
Analysts predicted that 22.3 million individuals are enjoying pickleball this yr, with seniors making up one-third of “core gamers,” in response to the report (obtained by Bloomberg).
With its reputation amongst retirees, pickleball-related accidents happen extra typically in seniors. In accordance with a 2021 research, over 85 % of pickleball-induced emergency room visits from 2010-2019 occurred in folks over 60.
The most typical accidents within the sport are strains, sprains, and fractures to the wrists and decrease legs.
UBS analysts estimated that pickleball accidents are anticipated to account for about 67,000 emergency room visits, 366,000 outpatient visits, and almost 9,000 outpatient surgical procedures this yr alone.
“Whereas we usually consider train as positively impacting well being outcomes, the ‘can-do’ perspective of immediately’s seniors can pose a higher danger in different areas reminiscent of sports activities accidents, resulting in a higher variety of orthopedic procedures,” the analysts warned.