Lower Extremity Injuries in Adult Pickleball Players: A Systematic Review of Injury Types, Mechanisms, and Risk...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Orthopedics
• Public Health

Background:

• Pickleball is rapidly growing, particularly among adults aged 50+.
• Increased participation correlates with a rise in musculoskeletal injuries, especially lower extremity injuries.
• A comprehensive review of pickleball-related lower extremity injuries is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the types, mechanisms, and risk factors of lower extremity injuries in adult pickleball players.
• To synthesize current evidence on pickleball-related lower extremity injuries.
• To inform injury prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar (2004-2025).
• Included studies reporting pickleball-specific lower extremity injury data in adults, analyzing types, mechanisms, or risk factors.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria.
• Common injuries include sprains, strains, fractures, and Achilles tendon ruptures.
• Falls, forward running/lunging, and foot inversion are primary injury mechanisms.
• Older age (50+) is a consistent risk factor.
• Males sustain more injuries overall, but females have higher fracture rates.

Conclusions:

• Lower extremity injuries are prevalent in pickleball, particularly among older adults.
• Falls and rapid movements are key injury causes.
• Injury prevention programs focusing on warm-up, balance, footwear, and court safety are recommended.