SLU Study Highlights Pickleball's Safety for Overweight Players, Ideal for Weight Control

ST. LOUIS — A recent study conducted by researchers at Saint Louis University has uncovered new insights into the injury patterns among pickleball players across the U.S., highlighting a significant finding: increased Body Mass Index (BMI) did not increase the odds of injury among pickleball players. 

“Unlike other sports where BMI increased the odds of injury, pickleball appears safe for folks who are overweight or obese,” said Olu Owoeye, Ph.D., associate professor of physical therapy at SLU and lead author. “Pickleball might be the perfect physical activity intervention for weight control.”

 Yet, Owoeye adds that research about patterns and predictors of injuries remains sparse.

“Pickleball is often underestimated in terms of physical demands. It's crucial to implement evidence-based prevention strategies to ensure players enjoy the sport's benefits while minimizing injury risks,” said Owoeye, who also serves as director of SLU’s Translational Injury Prevention Lab.

The cross-sectional study published Aug. 22 in Sports Medicine – Open sought to fill this gap. The study involved a comprehensive nationwide survey of 1,758 pickleball players aged 18 years and older, who play at least once a month. The findings revealed:

• High Injury Prevalence: 68.5% of participants reported at least one injury over the past 12 months, with 40.8% experiencing time-loss or injuries resulting in at least one day of missed participation from pickleball and/or another form of exercise, and 51.2% non-time-loss injuries. One in three players continued to play despite ongoing pain or injury.
• Injury Locations: The knee was the most injured body part (29.1%), followed by the lower extremities (26.9%), shoulder (22.2%), back (19.9%), and elbow (18.4%).
• Serious Injuries: Overuse conditions, joint sprains, and muscle strains/pulls were identified as the most serious injury types.

Predictors of Injury: Significant predictors included male sex, higher frequency of weekly play, fewer years of play experience, lower perception of injury prevention importance, and age ranging from 33 to 77 years. Neither increased duration of play nor higher body mass index significantly increased the odds of injury.

Researchers say implementing evidence-based neuromuscular warm-up exercises, establishing comprehensive recovery routines, and tailoring programs that focus on improving players’ skills and techniques, especially for novice players, can help reduce injury risk. 

In a second phase of the study, TIP Lab researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of a pickleball-specific warm-up and recovery routine to reduce injuries among players. To learn more about this research, visit: https://slu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9nnYAD1s54Erf7w

Other authors include  Wassim Mourad, M.D., Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University; Katie Stamatakis, Ph.D., Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University; Timothy Howell, Ed.D., Translational Injury Prevention Lab, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University; Mitchell Wayne, Translational Injury Prevention Lab, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University; Ryan Blechle, DPT, SSM Health Physical Therapy; Dawn Kennedy, DPT, SSM Health Physical Therapy; and Ted Yemm, PEAK Sport and Spine.

For more information, call Olu Owoeye at 314-977-8505 or email tip.lab@health.slu.edu.

Doisy College of Health Sciences

The Doisy College of Health Sciences has provided students with the tools and education to become well-prepared health care professionals since 1929. Doisy College offers hands-on experience through accredited clinical education programs in a variety of areas, including athletic training, communication sciences and disorders, health information management, magnetic resonance imaging, medical laboratory science, nuclear medicine technology, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and radiation therapy.