Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players

# Background While a high incidence of pickleball-related falls is reported, little is known regarding factors differentiating persons with and without a fall history during play. # Purpose This study aimed to determine differences between recreational pickleball players who fell while playing a...

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Main Authors: Betsy Myers, June Hanks
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: North American Sports Medicine Institute 2024-09-01
Series:International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.122490
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author Betsy Myers
June Hanks
author_facet Betsy Myers
June Hanks
author_sort Betsy Myers
collection DOAJ
description # Background While a high incidence of pickleball-related falls is reported, little is known regarding factors differentiating persons with and without a fall history during play. # Purpose This study aimed to determine differences between recreational pickleball players who fell while playing and those who did not. Additional aims were to determine reasons for falling and to investigate associations among assessed factors. # Study design Cross-sectional study. # Methods Participants completed a survey reporting age, fall history, and reasons for falling during play. Hip abduction strength, single leg squat form, ankle dorsiflexion, and change of direction time using a modified T-test on a pickleball court (i.e. pickleball T-test) were assessed. # Results Among the 92 individuals participating in the study, 42% reported a fall while playing and 30% reported falling more than once. Leading reasons for reported falls were lunging and moving backward. Participants who reported falling were significantly older (z = -2.60, p = 0.009) and slower on the pickleball T-test (z = -2.10, p = 0.036) than those who did not report falling. Hip abduction strength was not associated with fall history but was associated with faster time on the pickleball T-test (left *r~s~* = -.41, p < 0.001, right *r~s~* = -.48, p < 0.001). Single leg squat form and dorsiflexion were not related to fall history. # Conclusion Falls are common among recreational pickleball players, particularly older players. Fall prevention programs for pickleball players should be considered including multi-directional lunging, lower extremity strength and power development, and change of direction training that includes moving backward. # Level of evidence 2
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spelling doaj-art-90a5443f22cf421eb70febaffc4c174d2025-02-11T20:29:46ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962024-09-01199Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball PlayersBetsy MyersJune Hanks# Background While a high incidence of pickleball-related falls is reported, little is known regarding factors differentiating persons with and without a fall history during play. # Purpose This study aimed to determine differences between recreational pickleball players who fell while playing and those who did not. Additional aims were to determine reasons for falling and to investigate associations among assessed factors. # Study design Cross-sectional study. # Methods Participants completed a survey reporting age, fall history, and reasons for falling during play. Hip abduction strength, single leg squat form, ankle dorsiflexion, and change of direction time using a modified T-test on a pickleball court (i.e. pickleball T-test) were assessed. # Results Among the 92 individuals participating in the study, 42% reported a fall while playing and 30% reported falling more than once. Leading reasons for reported falls were lunging and moving backward. Participants who reported falling were significantly older (z = -2.60, p = 0.009) and slower on the pickleball T-test (z = -2.10, p = 0.036) than those who did not report falling. Hip abduction strength was not associated with fall history but was associated with faster time on the pickleball T-test (left *r~s~* = -.41, p < 0.001, right *r~s~* = -.48, p < 0.001). Single leg squat form and dorsiflexion were not related to fall history. # Conclusion Falls are common among recreational pickleball players, particularly older players. Fall prevention programs for pickleball players should be considered including multi-directional lunging, lower extremity strength and power development, and change of direction training that includes moving backward. # Level of evidence 2https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.122490
spellingShingle Betsy Myers
June Hanks
Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy
title Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players
title_full Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players
title_fullStr Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players
title_full_unstemmed Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players
title_short Hip Strength, Change of Direction, and Falls in Recreational Pickleball Players
title_sort hip strength change of direction and falls in recreational pickleball players
url https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.122490
work_keys_str_mv AT betsymyers hipstrengthchangeofdirectionandfallsinrecreationalpickleballplayers
AT junehanks hipstrengthchangeofdirectionandfallsinrecreationalpickleballplayers