Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Pickleball has exploded as a sport in recent years. It initially attracted baby boomers with injuries or less ability to run as they got older, but younger people are also starting to flock to the sport. Two recent studies showed that despite the smaller courts used in tennis, pickleball can provide the same benefits as traditional exercise. One study out of Western State Colorado University found that participants had heart rates of 108 beats per minute and burned over 350 calories per match, which classifies as a moderate intensity workout. The pickleball players showed significant improvements in LDL and HDL cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and maximal oxygen uptake. Another study performed at Brigham Young University found that playing doubles pickleball led to higher heart rates and calorie expenditure than walking for exercise.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
