Tucson is home to around 30 pickleball courts and will gain 11 more soon when the Florida-based Ace Pickleball Club opens its first Arizona location in Tucson. 

But as courts fill with players, a new trend is emerging: pickleball injuries.

From sprained ankles and wrists to more serious injuries, players of the game that blend tennis, badminton, and ping-pong are getting hurt.

Tam Ambrose, 61, has been a fixture on Tucson’s pickleball courts for years. Despite her love for the game, Ambrose has also experienced its painful side. 

“I’ve had my fair share of injuries,” she says, ticking off a list that includes tearing her Achilles, thumb joint, calf, and hamstring, severing her ACL, and cracking her femur. 

The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine reported that participants in tennis and racquetball have seen injuries decrease in the past few years while pickleball players are suffering more injuries. The most commonly reported injuries tend to deal with the strains and sprains to the lower leg, ankle, wrist, and shoulder and over 90% of the injuries have occurred in people over the age of 50.

Despite her nicks and bruises, Ambrose’s passion for pickleball transcends the physical toll it exacts, she said. 

Each time she steps onto the court, she feels a surge of adrenaline and excitement, a palpable connection to the game. For Ambrose, pickleball is not just a pastime — it’s a way of life, a source of joy and fulfillment that outweighs any temporary setback or injury. “Every step back onto the court is a test of my determination to reclaim the joy that pickleball brings into my life,” she says.

This sentiment is echoed by Ryan Gick, a University of Arizona student who discovered pickleball just over a year ago.

 “Once I picked up a paddle, I was hooked,” he said. “There’s something special about the camaraderie and competition you find on the court. It’s addictive.”

“Pickleball has taken our community by storm,” said Carol Carpenter, president of the Tucson Area Pickleball Association. “We’ve seen an increase in players, from retirees looking for a fun way to stay active to college students seeking a new social experience.”

Carpenter acknowledges the issue, emphasizing the importance of proper warm-ups and injury prevention techniques. 

“As pickleball continues to grow, we’re committed to promoting safe play and providing resources to help players stay healthy,” she said.

Ace Pickleball Club, which started in Florida in 2020 and has six locations in Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Delaware, is expected to open its 11-court indoor facility at 4881 N. Stone Ave. next winter.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.