Is pickleball a safe activity for those with moderate osteopenia?

It does sound fun. From what I hear, a lot of the falls happen when people run backwards to get the ball.

I am almost 69 years old and have been playing since 2014 when no one had ever heard of pickleball. Now there are tea towels in multiple shops.

The biggest risks are falls which we all know are serious for seniors. Most falls happen because of balance issues. I have not seen medical lit in this, but I have witnessed broken hips, shoulders and more.

If your balance isn’t great, it may be safer to commit to a walking program. If you have played racket sports throughout your life and have good eyesight, the sport is great fun. Find a senior center to try it out. Playing with people half your age will be a depressing and challenging experience.

Pickleball is a double edged sword. It checks off a lot of boxes for seniors it gets you moving it’s very social and it’s a lot of fun. There are lots of different levels of Pickleball if you wanna play and not get hurt, you need to find a non-competitive game and just let those balls go. It is becoming harder and harder to play. Just an open rec game. Pickleball is a victim of its own success so yes you can play if you monitor your competitiveness and if you can find a non-competitive environment, it’s a blast.

Thanks so much for your insight! I like the idea of a non-competitive environment!

Weight bearing exercise, according to my doctor, is more important than calcium supplements in preventing osteoporosis. Unless you're prone to dizzy spells, etc., I say go for it.

Although I don't know if this would contain specific info about the safety of pickleball, I wonder if melioguide.com would offer some direction