Pickleball has become extremely popular and continues to be America’s fastest-growing sport. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report, there were an estimated 19.8 million pickleball players in the United States in 2024, which represents a 45.8% increase from 2023 numbers. Pickleball has been named the fastest-growing sport in the US for the fourth consecutive year. The growth has been phenomenal over the past few years, with participation increasing by 51.8% from 2022 to 2023, and an incredible 223.5% over three years. Every age group has seen increased participation. The sport’s popularity has created infrastructure challenges. Despite a 55% growth in dedicated pickleball facilities and a 23% increase in total courts year-over-year, there is still a significant shortage of dedicated courts, particularly in urban areas. Florida leads with 1,071 locations to play pickleball, closely followed by California with 1,048 locations. That is a clear indicator that it’s growth is linked directly to the aging of America. However, what was once viewed as a sport primarily for seniors has now become popular among younger generations. This shift may be attributed to the growth in professional pickleball, with many pros in their 20s and the top female player still in her teens. The sport shows no signs of slowing down as it continues to attract players across all age groups and demographics.
But alas, pickleball injuries have risen significantly alongside the sport’s growing popularity. There has been a substantial increase in pickleball-related injuries requiring medical attention. A study from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database showed that pickleball-related injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments increased by 91% from 2020 to 2022, while hospital admissions for these injuries increased by a dramatic 257% during the same period. Bone fractures related to pickleball have increased 200% over the last 20 years, according to an analysis presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The vast majority of these fractures (92%) occurred during falls. The most common types of injuries are sprains, strains, and fractures, with patients age 50 or older accounting for 90% of the injuries. Pickleball injuries generated more than $350 million in medical costs in 2023, according to research by UBS analysts. From 2010 to 2019, greater than 85 percent of pickleball-related injuries were in individuals over the age of 60, with most being non-life-threatening. There was a noticeable surge in injuries from 2020 onward, when fractures doubled. Common injuries include ankle sprains, knee pain, hamstring strains, elbow pain (similar to tennis elbow), rotator cuff injuries, and worsening of existing arthritis.
While croquet has a long history in America dating back to the 1850s, it doesn’t appear to be experiencing the same kind of explosive growth as pickleball or other trending sports in recent years. The United States Croquet Association (USCA) is the governing body for croquet in America and promotes the sport, but there isn’t strong evidence of significant recent growth. According to Wikipedia, the USCA has grown to “nearly 400 member clubs with 3,500 members” since its formation in 1977, but this appears to represent steady, modest growth rather than a recent surge in popularity. The Croquet Foundation of America notes that “since the early 1980’s the number of competitive players in North America has risen from 50 to over 8,000”, which represents growth over decades rather than a recent trend. There are some positive signs for the sport, with American six-wicket croquet being “the dominant version of the game in the United States” and also “widely played in Canada,” governed by the United States Croquet Association. The sport does have dedicated facilities like the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, which indicates an established, if niche, sporting community….once again among the older set.
As for the dangers of croquet, there are documented croquet injuries, though they are not as widespread or varied as those in more physically demanding sports like Pickleball. In a survey of 214 croquet players, 76 reported at least one injury to hand, wrist, or forearm caused by striking the ball. The researchers found no obvious relation between injuries and the type of grip used on the mallet, though injuries appeared somewhat more frequent with fiberglass mallet shafts compared to wood, metal, or carbon fiber. A more recent study investigated the relationship between wrist flexion and mallet dynamics, suggesting that “reducing wrist flexion during stroke-making should reduce torsional impacts on the wrist and reduce the occurrence of wrist pain and injuries in croquet players.” According to an insurance resource for croquet players, common injuries include tissue bruises, facial injuries, and dislocations. These injuries are often caused by “ignoring safety regulations when a player strikes the ball without making sure that other players have left the court.” The research indicates that back injuries seem less troublesome in croquet than in golf, which is a comparative advantage for the sport. Unlike pickleball, there doesn’t appear to be a significant rise in croquet-related injuries or emergency room visits that would suggest a growing public health concern.
I may be crazy, but this strikes me as a perfect confluence of events for croquet to step out of the shadows and take a more center stage position as a sport for the aging population. Anything that reduces risk of injury and still allows for social athletic endeavor (and I will, admittedly, use the term “athletic” somewhat loosely), is bound to take hold as the population gets older and more tired of injuries. This is particularly so with regard to leg and back injuries, which clearly are far less likely with croquet than with Pickleball, Tennis or Golf. I happen to have, in addition to my new croquet pitch, a set-up for horseshoes and cornhole. When you think about it, they are very similar games, but one is older and more dangerous versus the more modern and safer variety. Throwing a metal object like a horseshoe is certainly more dangerous than tossing a bean bag. The two courses sit next to one another and yet people rarely choose horseshoes and almost always go for the cornhole.
I did not build my croquet pitch as a demographic statement of change. I did it for more physical reasons having to do with the refurbishing of the play area. Furthermore, I had to consider how to modify the regulation-sized pitch with its nine-wicket configuration, to meet my space constraints, my unique turf design (as modified previously for mini-golf and bocci-ball) and my fetish for metal art obstacles. What I ended up with was a modified 9-wicket course that more or less follows the same contours of a regulation course and yet has more “fun” features to keep the play in the social versus competitive arena. There was only competitive tennis, then there was competitive or social Picklball. Now there is croquet, which can also be either, but with a predilection for the social. I have further twisted that tail and made my croquet pitch nothing but social in orientation. It is my feeling that couples today need more not less reasons to do things together and I feel that my modified and dignified sport of croquet is just the ticket. It can be done in a small space with minimal equipment. It can be played while picnicking (last night Robert did a fine job of eating his way through the round and drinking was underway by all…ranging from pink lemonade to beer and wine). And here’s the thing…it was just plain fun for all. Now that, more than anything else, qualifies croquet as the new sport in the age of orthopedics.