Pickleball Injuries on the Rise: How PRP Therapy Speeds Recovery

The sport of Pickleball is booming: simple equipment, accessible courts, and a broad age spectrum of players have helped make it the fastest-growing sport in the United States. But with its rapid rise comes a notable increase in injury risk—including soft-tissue damage, sprains, fractures, and overuse conditions. For clinics that offer advanced regenerative treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), this trend presents both a challenge and an opportunity to support recovery and performance.

The Injury Landscape: What the Research Shows

Recent studies highlight two key patterns:

1. High prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries

   A nationwide survey of 1,758 adult pickleball players found that 68.5% reported some injury in the past 12 months, and 40.8% experienced time-loss injuries (i.e., those that interrupted play) (Owoeye et al., 2025). The most affected regions were knees (29.1%), lower extremities (26.9%), shoulders (22.2%), back (19.9%), and elbows (18.4%) (Owoeye et al., 2025).

   In an emergency-department dataset, fractures represented 32.7% of injuries in adults presenting between 2013 and 2022; wrist injuries were the most common single site (12.7%) (Yu et al., 2025).

2. Age- and mechanism-based patterns

   Older players (aged 60+) are more likely to present with fractures, joint trauma, and serious falls; younger and middle-aged players tend to suffer sprains, strains, and tendon or ligament injuries (Massillon, Anders & Vitale, 2025). For example, a review noted that while younger players had more soft-tissue injuries, older players had higher fracture risk, likely due to age-related declines in bone density and tissue resilience (Massillon et al., 2025). Additionally, many injuries stem from falls, sudden lateral movements, and abrupt stops/starts that are characteristic of pickleball (Yu et al., 2025).

Why High-End Clinics Should Pay Attention

For premium medical clinics—particularly those offering advanced treatments like PRP—the surge in pickleball-related injuries signals a rising demand for non-surgical, performance-oriented care. Patients who are:

• Active at mid- or later-life

• Seeking fast, high-quality recovery

• Motivated to return to sport or fitness

…will seek out clinics that can provide evidence-based care and faster, less invasive options. Offering PRP, alongside tailored movement assessment and injury prevention services, positions your clinic as a go-to destination for this growing population.

Introducing PRP: A Regenerative Option for Soft-Tissue & Musculoskeletal Injuries

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy utilizes the body’s own healing potential to support tissues such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints. For pickleball-associated injuries—e.g., tendonitis, ligament sprains, meniscal tears, early-stage osteoarthritis—PRP can be an excellent adjunct or alternative to more invasive interventions.

Key benefits of PRP include:

• Autologous (patient’s own) biologic, reducing risk of adverse reaction

• Can accelerate and enhance tissue healing, especially in soft tissue/overuse injuries

• Minimal downtime compared with surgery

• Aligns with performance-oriented goals of active adults

How to Integrate PRP within a Premium Clinic Experience

• Comprehensive Evaluation & Movement Screening

  • Start with smart assessment: identify movement deficits, strength imbalances, joint mobility limitations, and biomechanical risk factors (e.g., lateral movement deficits common in pickleball).

• Individualised Treatment Plan

  • Offer PRP as part of a larger strategy: combine it with physical therapy, strength & conditioning, proprioceptive training, and sport-specific mechanisms (balance, agility, pivot control).

• State-of-the-Art Delivery & Patient Education

  • Position the PRP treatment in a luxurious, comfortable setting, with detailed discussion of expected outcomes, timeline, and what role the patient plays in their own recovery.

• Return-to-Play Pathway

  • Establish clear milestones: when can a patient resume light practice, when full court play, and how to protect against recurrence. Offer optional ongoing performance-training support.

• Prevention & Maintenance Program

  • Given the rising incidence of injury in pickleball, provide preventive care packages: screening, movement coaching, strength maintenance, and periodic tune-ups.

Why Patients of Discernment Choose a Clinic That Understands This Space

• Expertise: You offer advanced treatment options like PRP and also understand sport-specific loads of activities like pickleball.

• Personalisation: You assess each patient’s lifestyle and goals, not just their injury.

• Luxury + Performance: Your clinic provides an elevated experience suited to active, health-focused adults.

• Outcomes Focused: The aim is not simply “heal” but “perform better”—return to the court with confidence.

  
  

Final Thoughts

The explosive growth of pickleball means more people—across ages—will encounter soft-tissue and joint injuries. For an upscale medical clinic that offers PRP, this trend represents a meaningful opportunity: to serve an active clientele seeking fast, effective, non-surgical solutions and high-touch, personalised care.

If you or someone you know is dealing with lingering tendon or ligament issues stemming from court sport or recreational activity, let our clinic help you get back to your best—stronger, smarter, and ready to play. Call Arizona Valley Acupuncture 602-699-6343.

References

Massillon, D., Anders, A., & Vitale, K. (2025). Diagnosis and management of common musculoskeletal injuries in the pickleball athlete. Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports, 13, 27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-025-00499-1

Owoeye, O. B. A., Yemm, T., Blechle, R., Wayne, M., Kennedy, D., Mourad, W., Stamatakis, K., & Howell, T. (2025). Understanding injury patterns and predictors in pickleball players: A nationwide study of 1,758 participants. Sports Medicine - Open, 11(100). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-025-00900-2

Yu, J., Yendluri, A., Linden, G. S., Namiri, N., Corvi, J. J., Song, J., Parsons, B. O., & Parisien, R. L. (2025). Increasing incidence of pickleball injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments: A 10-year epidemiologic analysis of mechanisms and trends. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 13(1), 23259671241305364. https://doi.org/10.1177/23259671241305364