In recent years, the sport of pickleball has surged in popularity across the United States, particularly in Los Angeles. While this fast-paced game has captivated many new enthusiasts, it has also brought about a notable increase in related injuries.

Particularly concerning is the uptick in serious eye injuries, predominantly affecting those over the age of 50. Dr. Anthony Cardillo, an emergency medicine specialist at Adventist Health Glendale, has witnessed a significant rise in these cases. “We’re observing a lot of falls on the court,” he noted. “Additionally, shoulder injuries and a condition we’ve started calling ‘pickleball elbow’ are becoming common due to the sport’s quick snap movements.”

Newcomers like Anne Ruby Dee from Glendora have not been immune to these hazards. Having picked up the sport just a month ago, she found herself sidelined by a knee injury. “I twisted it while trying to reach for the ball,” she explained, adding that she’s been managing the injury with ice.

Anne Ruby Dee of Glendora took up the sport a month ago, and it didn’t take long for her to hurt her knee.

“I twisted it when I was trying to get the ball, and so far, I’ve just been icing it up,” she said.

But Cardillo said there’s another type of injury growing just as fast as the sport.

“We’re getting a lot of ocular, eye injuries,” he said. “It’s really getting hit in the face with either the ball or a racket.”

Pickleball caused an estimated 1,250 eye injuries in 2024 with a total of 3,000 since 2005. A new JAMA Ophthalmology study found pickleball-related eye injuries have jumped an additional 400 cases a year from 2021 to 2024

They found that players aged 50 and older accounted for about 70% of pickleball-related eye injuries, possibly due to age-related declines in muscle strength, bone density, and balance.

Most injuries were caused by a direct hit by a pickleball, direct hit by a paddle, or falls.

“People are swinging, they’re not being mindful and careful, and they’ll hit their partner in the eye with the racket and also get hit with that ball,” said Cardillo, who added that the study should remind people to be more careful on the court but suggests a pair of sport goggles can help protect you.

“I don’t know if I’ll be wearing goggles while playing pickleball,” said Dee, who didn’t let her knee injury stop her from competing in this year’s Posh Pickleball Tournament at the La Canada Country Club.

She said pickleball is really all about having fun.

“I’m enjoying it, my husband enjoys it, my kids, and so do my friends,” she said.