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528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
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Pickleball-The Fastest Growing Sport
Pickleball, to me, seems like a combination of tennis and table tennis. The court is smaller than tennis and bigger than table tennis. You might call it a civilized version of the better known sports. The paddle is larger than the one used in table tennis; the hard plastic ball used produces less bounce than tennis balls. The sport was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States and became a popular sport in the Pacific Northwest. By 2023 it grew in popularity elsewhere and was estimated to have over 8.9 million players in the United States. For three years in a row the sports was named the fastest-growing sport in the United States. Two professional leagues were established in 2019, and there is growth in popularity in Australia. India is developing another league for the 2025/2026 season. We have only seen it played one time. But that was enough to show that it is indeed demanding. We first heard of pickleball from a neighbor, who hurt himself on the pickleball court (I remember it being a hamstring pull). And, in fact, an orthopedist at the Cleveland Clinic sees a patient a day for injuries from this popular new sport according to the Arthritis Advisor newsletter. The movements in pickleball put strain on muscles, joints and tendons because of the rushing and twisting motions necessary to reach balls, and the quick nature of play. It requires fast eye and body coordination and stamina. Pickleball is not the only sport leading to injuries, but because it looks easier than tennis and is easy to learn, people may begin to play it even if they haven't exercised before, leading to injury especially to older adults among whom the sport is popular. Muscle strains may occur when players with already fatigued muscles decide to "go for one more" and the fatigued muscles cannot respond, causing tearing in the muscle. Or the tendons in the shoulder, elbows, knees or heel are strained by overuse. Fortunately, rest, ice, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs can help with recovery, but, better yet, don't begin any new sport activity without having a good baseline of fitness from previous resistance exercise and other aerobic exercise training. It took our neighbor quite some time to heal and slowed him down considerably during that time. Prevention is always better. Take a tip from professional sports such as football and basketball (tennis too), and do a thorough warm-up (upper body and lower) before playing; don't hit the court cold. Pay attention as you play to what your body is telling you about how it is feeling. If you have discomfort in a body part, stop short before it increases to pain and possible injury. Yes, progression is always the goal but not at the cost of an injury. Good advice for all new exercise and sports: start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and length of training time and practice. December 1, 2024 Comment on this article: FEEDBACK Ripped Enterprises, P.O. Box 51236, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87181-1236 Home | Products Index | Ripped Bks | Lean Adv. Bks | Lean For Life | Recommended Bks | |Consultations | Tapes | To Order | Feedback] Copyright © 2024 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved.
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