Pickleball Safety for Everyone!

Words of Wisdom from the Sunshine Coast Pickleball Club :

As the pickleball season kicks off across Queensland, it’s a timely opportunity to reflect on pickleball safety and how we can all help reduce the risk of injury - both for ourselves and our playing partners.

While pickleball is widely regarded as a fun, social, and low-impact sport, injuries 👨🏻‍⚕️ can and do occur.

Last year alone, 22 injuries were reported within our club, with a further five injuries already recorded in January.

As our pickleball community grows - and as many players continue to enjoy the sport well into later life - injury prevention becomes increasingly important.

😨 Common Pickleball Injuries: What the Data Tells Us

Recorded injury data shows that the most frequent pickleball injuries include:

• Falls, resulting in bruising, sprains, and broken bones
• Muscle tears and sprains, often linked to sudden movements
• Eye and facial injuries, caused by fast or unexpected ball strikes

One injury that is often under-reported is “pickleball elbow”, a form of overuse injury similar to tennis elbow. This condition involves inflammation of the elbow tendons and typically develops gradually over time rather than from a single incident.

🤸🏿 Falls: The Biggest Safety Risk on Court

Falls present one of the most serious injury risks in pickleball, particularly for ankles, knees, hips, and wrists. While competitive play is part of the fun, lunging, diving, or running backwards to chase difficult balls can significantly increase the risk of injury.

Playing within your physical limits and prioritising balance, court awareness, and recovery time can go a long way toward maintaining long-term health and enjoyment of the game.

👀 Eye Injuries and the Case for Protective Eyewear 😎

Eye injuries are an ongoing concern, especially at the non-volley zone (the kitchen line), where reaction time is limited and ball speed can be high. Even with good sportsmanship and safe play, accidental headshots and ricochets do happen.

Given the potential severity of eye injuries, the use of appropriate protective eyewear is strongly recommended for players of all levels.

🗣 Partner Communication: A Simple Way to Improve Safety

As a predominantly doubles sport, pickleball offers a huge opportunity to improve safety through clear partner communication.

Simple steps can significantly reduce paddle clashes, prevent collisions, and improve overall court coverage and team performance.

For example:

• Agreeing beforehand who takes centre balls
• Calling and respecting “mine” or “yours”
• Avoiding hesitation on shared shots

A Shared Responsibility on Court

The purpose of this article is to raise awareness, not to provide medical advice. Players should always seek professional medical guidance 🩺 if they are concerned about an injury or their physical ability to play pickleball safely.

By looking after ourselves and each other, we can help reduce injuries, strengthen our pickleball community, and ensure the sport remains safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.

Let’s play smart, communicate clearly, and keep pickleball fun for all.

So, please let’s all try to reduce injuries by looking after ourselves and our teammates 🤗. 

Credit to: Sunshine Coast Pickleball Club, Management Committee

📖Related Resources:

PickleDOC: How to Prevent Foot and Ankle Injuries

PickleCOACH: Should you have a Foot Fettish? – The Importance of Good Footwork