ALTHOUGH pickleball was originally created in 1965 as a family game, its transition to a faster pace is beginning to reveal a “dark side” for those who lack adequate preparation.
Professional sport massage therapist Mohd Azlan Othman said a lack of conditioning was potential threat to a player’s musculoskeletal system.
Mohd Azlan, who has experience working with elite Paralympic athletes, said the carbon fibre paddles and fast balls forced players to adopt aggressive footwork.
“The equipment has changed, rallies are faster, speed-ups and lateral footwork are very aggressive.
“If we look at rehabilitation science, injuries occur when the load rate exceeds the muscle capacity,” he told Bernama.
Mohd Azlan also warned that the increased weekly playing load without sufficient muscle adaptation – which would normally take months – was a major factor for body break down, potentially leading to ankle sprain and knee injuries.
The same concern was echoed by physiotherapist Aiman Arief Abdul Aziz, who said rapid lateral movement and sudden stops placed extraordinary stress on ligaments and stabilising muscles.
“More advanced equipment and the faster tempo of play create an overuse risk because this transition from casual to aggressive often happens without proper strength training and conditioning.
“Lateral movements and sudden stops place the greatest strain on knee joints such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL), ankles as well as the hips, due to the high stress on ligaments and stabilising muscles when chasing fast balls,” he said.
An ESPN report estimated that pickleball-related medical costs in the United States reached about US$350mil in 2023.
International data also showed a surge in emergency cases, including a 90-fold increase in fracture incidents since 2020.
Most of them resulted from falls on the court, as well as age factors, with players aged 40 and above being more at risk due to reduced tissue elasticity.
For Muhamad Rohaizam Latib, president of Laughing Pickle Club, a social pickleball club in the Klang Valley, the sport’s appeal is so strong that many players become “hooked” compared with other racket sports.
“Players tend to chase every ball even when they are off balance.
“Many social players also like to go straight onto the court and perform smash shots without proper stretching routines.”
He advised enthusiasts not to underestimate the importance of physical preparation, and to carry out 10 to 15 minutes of dynamic warm-up to activate the nervous system and prepare muscles for explosive movements.
