Like anything, I'm sure you get out of it what you put into it.
Posted on 09/13/2025 4:06:07 PM PDT by Jacquerie
Unless you live under a rock, you're aware that pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in America, attracting tens of millions of players, especially geezers like me. Sure, injuries are common, if not required. But there are real benefits. Let's explore the madness.
Once you reach a certain age, people you know start checking out faster than at the front desk at a Ramada Inn. It colors your perspective.
Example: while waiting for our turn at the pickleball court (aka the opium den), the geezers (one guy’s 88!) trade the usual banter. But sometimes it veers dark: Like “So… what’s your preferred way of leaving the planet?”
Mine? Serving in a 10–10 game with half a jelly donut stuffed in my mouth.
The game is spreading like gonorrhea in a Burning Man orgy tent. And it’s no accident; data suggests (more or less) that pickleball is more addictive than heroin.
Check out (sorry) the numbers:
About 900,000 people use heroin each year. Between 20 and 48 million people now play pickleball – a fourfold increase in just three years. It's not clear how many are addicted to both. The addiction is so real that it arguably deserves its own DSM diagnosis. Psychiatrists might call it "Pickleball Use Disorder." Players call it Tuesday. One can only appreciate the madness by watching a bunch of idiots sprinting to the court, paddles in hand, despite lightning, thunder, and hailstones the size of canned hams.
Most of the injuries are a result of Dorito-powered slobs whose physical activity over the past 25 years has been limited to rolling over during a power nap. Yes, anyone can play, and it is those "anyones" who give the sport a bad name. Real data backs this up. The most important risk factors are:
Age is unsurprisingly the most important risk factor. Age = poorer balance + osteoporosis; more falls and more serious injuries from the falls. As I mentioned earlier, it's an easy sport to start, and this attracts older people who would never try tennis or basketball.
Will Pickleball Save Your Life? Pickleball vs. doing nothing
There are about 19,000 pickleball-related ER injuries per year in the U.S., mostly among geezers. Compare that with the tens of millions harmed by inactivity-related heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The game improves heart health, balance, strength, and mental acuity. It's exercise without having to exercise. Two hours go by really fast. So yes, pickleball sends ~19,000 people limping into the ER each year. But inactivity quietly kills 350,000 Americans annually. Gimme the damn paddle.
Bottom Line
Here’s the kicker: the real danger isn’t pickleball — it’s sitting still. Give it a try. Pickleball isn’t necessarily about cheating death; it’s about making it entertaining. Personally, I still hope to go out swinging — paddle in one hand, jelly donut in the other.
Like anything, I'm sure you get out of it what you put into it.
I didnt know pickleball was so dangerous. Ah well, back to tackle football I go.
“The game is spreading like gonorrhea in a Burning Man orgy tent.” The event just finished up a week or so ago. I heard the orgy tent got taken out in a windstorm.
My wife’s elderly coworker just had a heart attack after a pickleball tournament
I gave up competitive sports three decades ago. Now I hike, kayak, body surf, and engage in Shinkendo, all at a leisurely pace.
There was another sport I enjoyed, but I’m a widower, so that’s out the window.
And that was for one reason only. “Bocce” sounds more dignified than “pickleball”.
One of our younger brothers, finally gave up on basketball and tennis.
He went to pickleball and loves it. He is 80.
I pass by pickleball courts while getting in my daily walking. No urge to join them but i wish them well. Staying active doing something is helpful.
It’s weird that people think pickleball is something new. Somewhere around here I have pickleball stuff I got 45 years ago. I’m such a trendsetter.
Have to admit I do not know what it is.
Seen the name, that’s it.
Imagine ping pong (the actual table game), but in “life size”. The rules are very same, the court set up almost in large scale, and the ball is a semi-rebounding whiffle ball.
I recently set up a court in our church fellowship hall and have played a bit. It’s actually fun. Just wish I didn’t have a bone spur in my achilles....
According to Wikipedia the game was invented in 1965.
My shop is in an industrial park where rent is about 1.00 a sq ft per month. Not long ago an indoor pickleball club rented 15,000 sq ft of shop space in a brand new building. I have no idea how they keep the lights on. I can’t imagine a place brings in enough memberships monthly to even cover the rent.
Reminds me of the movie Dodge Ball: A True Underdog Story (2004) and the great, serious narrator line: From this point on they all know there are no rules or restrictions, it’s just down and dirty street dodge ball.”
“””According to Wikipedia the game was invented in 1965.””
Yes. And it just laid there until about 10 years ago when it went nuts.
Photo....
Woman in back on the left: “I put my hands on your husband’s balls before the game. Just for good luck.”
My physical therapist said Pickleball has been great for his industry. So many injuries.
I sure never heard of it until just a few years ago.
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