Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport. But with the surge in the popularity of the sport around the country, cases related to the injuries surrounding pickleball have also started to rise rapidly. Eugenie Bouchard‘s latest picture, which she shared on her Instagram stories rightly points out how dangerous the sport can be.

It’s all fun and games till you strain your Achilles tendon, dislocate your shoulders, or get bruises all over bodies. Bouchard’s latest post surrounding her injury has brought new fears into the minds of pickleball lovers.

Pickleball and its scary $377M reality

Unlike the high-impact and explosive nature of tennis, pickleball is said to offer the players a gentler approach. Even the courts are quite smaller in size in pickleball. Players here serve underarm and this indeed was expected to reduce the stress on the joints and minimize the risk of injuries. So, a lot of veteran tennis players and other retired professionals started to indulge in this sport as a recreational activity.

However, according to a report published by Bloomberg last year, pickleball’s player base had grown by 150% in 2023 resulting in an estimated $377 M in medical expenses associated with the sport.

Recently, Eugenie Bouchard shared a story on her Instagram account which perhaps indicated how hard the ball must have hit her legs to leave behind such a big bruise on her thighs. She posted that picture with the caption, “Pickle injures.”

In January this year, Eugenie Bouchard made her much anticipated pro pickleball debut. How was her experience after stepping onto the Championship Court at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California?

‘Pickleball is crazy’- Eugenie Bouchard

After making her debut, Bouchard went on to express her happiness despite losing the match in her first appearance. She said, “It was better than expected. Look, pickleball is crazy.”

READ MORE: Eugenie Bouchard Bluntly Exposes How Tennis Is Wrongly Perceived in Amateur Level Amongst Men

Pickleball is often described as a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. But what does Eugenie Bouchard think about pickleball and the craze surrounding it from a tennis player’s perspective? “I’ve played tennis for 25 years now, and so my brain is like wired for tennis. Everyone I know plays, everyone I know is obsessed with it,” said Bouchard.

She further went on to add, “I’m very excited to just challenge myself with this new pickle chapter. And then still remain in the tennis world that I love.” What are your thoughts on the rise of pickleball-related injuries? Do you think it is a major issue that needs to be addressed very quickly, looking at the rapid rise of its popularity in the country?

Watch This Story: Bonafide Fitness Buff Serena Williams Reveals Major Nostalgia That Keeps Her Pumped Up In The Gym