Medical Report: How to stay safe while playing pickleball

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pickleball is best described as tennis combined with badminton and Ping-Pong. It is easy to learn and can be played by all age groups.

Sports medicine experts at Yale have a warning, though. Just because it is easy to play doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do all you can to avoid injuries.

The average pickleballer is 35 years old, and the most common injuries are strains and sprains of muscles and tendons.

Some key steps to avoid injuries are to warm up before you play and ease into the game. Participants also need appropriate footwear, and cross-training is a big help.

The biggest danger is thinking it is easy to play and not taking the time to prepare. Pickleball is a sport with a great deal of quick starts and stops as well as twisting and bending. All of these can contribute to injury.

Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough .

​​KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.