Can I Pickle Doc? Return to Pickleball and Other Racket Sports After Total Joint Arthroplasty

Participation in pickleball and other racket sports is growing, particularly among older adults who may also be candidates for joint arthroplasty (JA). Currently, there are limited data on performance, safety, and return to racket sports after JA.

An online survey was sent to 7,200 patients who had undergone at least one primary JA at a single academic center over the past 10 years (five surgeons). The survey asked patients about their prior and current racket sports participation, including ability level, expectations, limitations, and reoperations. Demographics, patient-reported outcomes, and reoperations were also captured through chart review. Chi-square, analysis of variance, and t-tests were used to compare demographics and outcomes. Of the 1,284 respondents, the average follow-up was 3.6 years (range, 0.5 to 10).

In total, 61.7% had never played a racket sport, 25.3% had not played a racket sport in the two years before surgery (remote), and 13.0% had played a racket sport in the two years before surgery (recent). Of the recent players, 71.9% returned to play after surgery, compared to 30.2% of remote players. The majority of players returned to play at a similar skill level, duration, and frequency, with the majority returning to play by six months postoperatively. Higher physical function outcomes were reported by recent players who returned to play after JA. Rates of reoperation were not significantly different between patients who did and did not return to play.

The majority of recent racket sports players were able to return to play after JA at their same skill level by six months postoperatively with higher physical function outcome scores and without an increase in reoperation rate. Future studies are needed to determine the long-term consequences of racket sports participation after JA.