Injury Patterns and Physiotherapeutic Management Strategies in Pickleball: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Pickleball has recently emerged as the fastest-growing sport in the United States and throughout the world, with participation increasing by more than 150%, particularly among those 35 and older. Similar to racket sports such as tennis, but customized to pickleball's compact court and hybrid motions, this quick growth is connected with an increase in injury complaints, primarily from emergency departments and sports medicine clinics. A scoping investigation is necessary to map the data and identify gaps in the existing literature, which is fragmented and lacks a complete synthesis of injury epidemiology and rehabilitation techniques. This review aims to assess the injury pattern and physiotherapeutic management strategies in pickleball. It analyses and explores the clinical relevance in the injury pattern and management strategies. A comprehensive literature review in accordance with PRISMA-ScR was conducted using electronic databases from PubMed, Web of Science and Google scholar, focusing on full text articles from 2018-2025. Pickleball injuries are on the rise, with a 68.5% yearly frequency, largely resulting in knee, thigh, and shoulder strains from faulty mechanics or overexertion. While most instances are treated non-surgically with physical therapy and bracing, return-to-play rates remain poor, despite clinical improvement. However, preventive physiotherapy and balance training have shown effective in lowering these risks and enhancing athlete stability. Physiotherapy effectively addresses pickleball injuries through phased, sport-specific interventions, but prospective trials are needed for prevention standardization.