America Loves Pickleball: What is Pickleball and How to Get Started

America loves Pickleball! According to the 2023 Sports and Fitness Industry Association, Pickleball grew to 8.9 million players in 2023.¹ The sport was invented in 1965 by 3 dads whose children were bored and needed a new summertime activity.¹ Since Pickleball’s inception in 1965, the sport has grown exponentially especially in the United States. Pickleball requires a small amount of space, little equipment, and is easy to learn making the sport approachable and accessible to people of all ages.

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is played on a badminton sized court with a net at the center.¹ You can play either indoors or outdoors.¹ The equipment you will need is a perforated plastic ball and paddles for each of the players.¹ You can either play in singles (1 person vs. 1 person) or doubles (2 people vs. 2 people).¹ The basic rules of the sport can be easily learned by beginners.¹ All of the rules are maintained by USA Pickleball. Click here for a quick overview of the game and to learn more about the official rules of Pickleball.

How Do You Get Started?

The popularity and places to play have also grown in recent years. By the end of 2023, there are now 11,864 known Pickleball venues in every U.S. state and all Canadian provinces.¹ Pickleball courts are located everywhere including senior communities, community recreation centers, and schools and parks.¹ Click here for comprehensive listing of places to play. An easy way to get started is to find someone you know who is more experienced in the sport or find a local league for beginners through your fitness club or city community center.

Along with Pickleball’s newfound popularity has brought an increase in the number of injuries sustained. Between 2010 and 2019, injuries increased rapidly according to study published in the Journal of Epidemiology with 85 percent of those injuries being sustained by someone 60 and older.² Live Your Life offers a comprehensive tailored fitness program called Live Your Life FIT & QUICK FOR SPORT designed for those wanting to return to sport after an injury or looking to improve their overall fitness level for their sport. Our in-home physical therapy services for seniors will help you improve your strength, agility, power, balance, flexibility, and endurance to whatever level you desire. Contact us today for a free consultation!

References

¹Pickleball Annual Growth Report | USA Pickleball. Published June 7, 2016. https://usapickleball.org/about-us/organizational-docs/pickleball-annual-growth-report/

²Alwahaidi K. Pickleball’s popularity is increasing — and so are game-related injuries. CBC. Published July 9, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/pickleball-injuries-increasing-reports-1.6897671