Pickleball and Aging: Staying Active and Safe in the Twin Cities

Pickleball has become a staple of active aging across the Twin Cities suburbs, from the YMCA in Forest Lake to busy courts in Maple Grove and community centers throughout the metro. Organized play is easy to find through local parks and recreation programs, the YMCA, and indoor clubs, making it one of the most accessible ways for older adults to stay active in every season.

In Minnesota, where winters push many people indoors, pickleball offers something more than exercise. It brings structure to the week, creates connection during long winters, and helps older adults stay socially engaged. Many members of our Amada Twin Cities team are pickleball enthusiasts themselves, so we see firsthand how much this game means to the seniors and families we serve.

For families, pickleball can be a wonderful sign that a loved one is staying active and engaged. It can also be an opportunity to notice early changes in balance, energy, or coordination that could increase fall risk. That is what makes one reality important to acknowledge.

Most of the time, pickleball is a safe and positive activity. A recent widely reported fatal fall involving a 76-year-old pickleball player, Jeff Webb, is a reminder that while pickleball offers real benefits, it also carries real risks for older adults. The goal is not to discourage play, but to talk honestly about safety in aging bodies.

Why Pickleball Feels Safe and Why That Can Be Misleading

Pickleball’s smaller court and lighter paddle make it feel gentler than many sports, which is why it brings people back to activity. The challenge is that aging changes what happens when something unexpected goes wrong.

A quick pivot or loss of balance that might cause a minor bruise in a younger player can lead to a broken wrist, hip fracture, or head injury in someone in their 70s or 80s. Many pickleball injuries among older adults happen not from overexertion, but from falls.

Normal age-related changes such as slower reaction time, reduced balance recovery, vision changes, arthritis, osteoporosis, blood thinner use, or prior concussions all increase the likelihood of injury and can slow recovery.

Playing Pickleball with Age Aware Respect

Older adults do not need to stop playing pickleball to stay safe. They need to play with awareness. The message is not simply to stay active, but to stay active with awareness. A few simple habits can significantly reduce risk:

• Warm up before play, especially hips, ankles, shoulders, and legs
• Wear court shoes with good lateral support rather than walking shoes
• Build balance and leg strength off the court
• Ease into play instead of jumping into frequent competitive games
• Be honest about dizziness, fatigue, confusion, headaches, or medication side effects
• Choose recreational or skills-based play instead of fast-paced competition when needed

Staying Active and Safe

Pickleball remains a great activity for older Minnesotans. Its social and physical benefits are real. But enthusiasm does not erase biology. Aging changes risk, and acknowledging that fact allows seniors to keep playing longer and more safely.

Staying active should add years of enjoyment, not unnecessary risk. Playing with awareness is one of the most effective safety tools we have. For many older adults, it supports independence as much as it supports physical health.