The rate of return to play for pickleball is high following shoulder surgery

Pickleball has seen a rapid rise in popularity among adults. While return to play (RTP) outcomes following shoulder surgery have been well studied in tennis, limited data exists for pickleball players. The purpose of this study was to evaluate RTP and clinical outcomes following total shoulder arthroplasty or arthroscopy in recreational pickleball players. We hypothesized that the majority of patients would return to playing pickleball within one year of shoulder surgery and that RTP rates would be similar in both arthroscopy and arthroplasty patients.

A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained single-center database identified patients who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty, or shoulder arthroscopy between 2012 and 2022. Eligible patients reported pickleball as their primary sport before surgery and had a minimum 2-year follow-up. Patients completed a questionnaire assessing RTP status, intensity, and pain levels. Data collection included preoperative and postoperative range of motion and patient-reported outcomes and a pickleball questionnaire.

A total of 23 patients with an average age of 66 ± 6.7 months and an average follow-up of 44 ± 24.4 months were included in this study. Overall, 100% of patients RTP throughout the study period, with 78% returning within the first year. The majority (87%; 20/23) reported being able to return to the same level of participation as before their procedure. Arthroscopy patients demonstrated a higher RTP rate within 1 year (88%) compared to arthroplasty patients (57%) (P < .001). Postoperatively, all patients showed significant improvements across all range of motion and patient-reported outcomes (P < .001), aside from internal rotation (P = .756).

Pickleball players demonstrate high overall RTP rates following shoulder surgery, with arthroscopy patients returning to play more quickly than arthroplasty patients. These findings shed light on the RTP timeline for pickleball, which may help establish realistic patient expectations, particularly in older adults.