While pickleball has been revered as a sport for all ages, some are concerned that it could also mean injuries and medical bills for older players.
According to Business Insider, UBS analysts estimate that anywhere from $250 million to $500 million of medical costs in 2023 will be attributed to pickleball.
In a note, the analysts estimated there will be 66,750 ER visits and 366,186 outpatient visits from pickleball this year. They note that pickleball's popularity with older players — seniors make up one-third of the pickleball's core players — as a prime reason for the injuries and medical costs.
The analysts cited a 2021 study of pickleball and tennis-related injuries that estimated there were nearly 34,000 emergency department visits caused by pickleball from 2010 to 2019. Of those ER visits, 86 percent occurred in people over 60 years old.
More than 60 percent of those injuries were sprains, strains and fractures, with most impacting the wrist, lower leg, head and lower trunk.
