Have you ever played pickleball? Or, have you heard the sport name "Pickleball"? To be honest, neither have I ever played this game, nor have I even heard this name! Recently, an article talking about pickleball sport-related eye injury caught my attention. I am going to share some information on pickleball and some eye injury data related to this sport.
[Image is from Pixabay @IGfotojonas]
Pickleball is a popular sport in the US. According to data, in the US in 2024, there were around 19.8 million pickleball players. Not having any strict rules and being an easy-to-play, low-impact nature sport, it attracts more casual players. This sport is kind of a combination of tennis, badminton, and table tennis!
There is a concern about this sport. This fastest growing sport also brings with it an increased number of sport-related injuries, especially injury to the eyes, one of our vital organs! In recent years, more specifically from 2021 to 2024, the eye injury attributed to the pickleball sport has increased at an alarming rate. A JAMA network study revealed that in 2024, there were around 1,262 eye injuries due to this sport, and at least 405 injury cases were higher than the previous year! In fact, from 2021 to 2024, every year, the eye injury cases due to pickleball were 405 more than the prior year. That means the number of eye injuries due to this sport is on the rise!
The reasons for the injuries were categorized into three: injury due to direct hit by the ball, injury due to being hit by the paddles, and injury due to a fall. The most common forms of injuries were fractures to the eye socket bones, detachment of the retina, and bleeding in the eye. Researchers found that the players of 50 years or above suffer the most (70 out of 100 injury cases affect this age group)!
Let us watch a YouTube video on a Pickleball game!
