Pickleball May Be Dangerous To Your Health

Almost daily, since I started pickleball lessons in June, I've been playing this wonderful game.  For those who don't know what it is, I will give you a brief description, but if you go to UTube and ask for pickleball, you can watch a game and in two minutes see players in action.  Pickleball is played on a court slightly smaller than a tennis court both in length and width.  The racket is solid, like a paddle tennis racquet, and the ball is similar to a whiffle ball, but a little heavier.  At Ocean Hills we play only doubles, so players don't have to cover too much ground.  Most of us don't move so well anymore.  You do need good reflexes, because much of the game is played near the net, where the ball is hit back and forth, hard and fast.  An hour of pickleball and I've had all the exercise I really need for the day.

When our teacher Herb started our lessons, the one thing he stressed from day one is to NEVER run backwards (back peddle).  That's the easiest way to fall and get a concussion or break a wrist.  Also, never run forward if you've got too much ground to cover.  Safety first.  Winning a game is never worth a trip to the ER.  Unfortunately, too many people, in the heat of the moment, forget Herb's warning and run backward or too far forward.  We had another woman go to the ER yesterday with a compound fracture in her wrist.  She was running backwards.  Last week a woman I hadn't seen before showed up at the court wearing a helmet.  I asked her why, and she told me she had run backwards, tripped, and had a concussion.

These accidents happen on a weekly basis.  So you might ask, "Why do you play pickleball, when there are so many accidents?" Because it's so much fun.   I try to be constantly conscious of Herb's words, and never run backwards or dive for balls in front of me.  I know my limitations.  I know that I'm doing this for fun, for the social experience, and for exercise.  I'm never going to be a 5.0 player (the highest ranking), but I will be good enough to play with most people and have a good time.  If a shot goes over my head, I just let it go.  The days of competition are gone.  Now, all we want to do is have fun.