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Mar 10, 2025, 03:05 ET
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SAN DIEGO , March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — While participation in pickleball and other sports is growing, data on returning to play after joint arthroplasty (JA) is limited. Presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), a new study found that a majority of patients who played racket sports were able to return to play after JA within six months and at a similar skill level without an increase in reoperation rates. Patients who returned to play also had higher physical function scores after surgery compared to those who did not return to play.
Racket sports are incredibly popular in the United States, fueled by pickleball which has seen a 159% increase in participation since 2019.i Many who play racket sports are over the age of 60, an age group which is more prone to hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA), presenting overlap in racket sports players and patients seeking JA.ii There is no clear consensus on which activities are safe to resume following surgery, varying by surgeon.iii
An online survey was sent to 7,200 patients who had undergone at least one primary JA at a single academic center over the past 10 years (January 2014 to October 2023). The survey asked patients about their prior and current racket sports participation, including ability level, expectations, limitations and reoperations. Demographics, patient-reported outcomes, and reoperations were also captured through chart review. All surveys included Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System v2.0 Physical Function and Short Form v1.1 Global Health (PROs) regardless of playing status.
Of the 1,284 respondents, the average follow-up time was 3.6 years, and the average age was 66.9 years at the time of the survey. Results included:
2025 AAOS Annual Meeting Disclosure Statement
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With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. The AAOS is the trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal health. It provides the highest quality, most comprehensive education to help orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals at every career level to best treat patients in their daily practices. AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related musculoskeletal healthcare issues; and it leads the healthcare discussion on advancing quality.
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i Akabas L. Americans More Active Despite Team Sports’ Decline: Data VIZ. Sportico. https://www.sportico.com/business/sports/2023/most-popular-sports-participation-2022-1234710470/. Published Feb. 22, 2023. Accessed Feb. 12, 2025.
ii Loeser RF. The Role of Aging in the Development of Osteoarthritis. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2017;128:44-54.
iii Swanson EA, Schmalzried TP, Dorey FJ. Activity recommendations after total hip and knee arthroplasty: a survey of the American Association for Hip and Knee Surgeons. J Arthroplasty. 2009;24(6 Suppl):120-6.
SOURCE American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
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