56-year-old man dies while playing pickleball in Ho Chi Minh City

The patient, P.T.H., from Tan Binh District, collapsed and became unresponsive at around 3:00 pm during a pickleball match with friends at a local sports court.

He was in full cardiac and respiratory arrest upon arrival at the emergency room.

Despite being rushed to the hospital and undergoing 45 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, he did not recover.

The patient had a known history of hypertension.

Dr. Nguyen Thuy Trang, head of the emergency department at Thong Nhat Hospital, stressed the importance of exercising in accordance with one’s health status.

“Just four minutes without blood to the brain after cardiac arrest can cause irreversible damage,” she said.

She urged bystanders to act quickly in such emergencies by performing chest compressions and calling emergency services.

Medical professionals also recommended regular health checkups to assess physical condition and receive tailored advice on diet and exercise.

Pickleball, a fast-growing sport especially popular among women in Vietnam, has led to an increase in injury cases.

In one recent case, a 30-year-old model suffered a fractured femur while playing this sport.

Due to her 1.78m stature and the complexity of the fracture, surgery was challenging, and doctors estimated a six-month recovery period.

According to the USA Pickleball, the national governing body of pickleball in the U.S., the number of players in this country surged from 4.8 million in 2021 to 13.6 million by the end of 2023.

The growth in popularity has also seen a rise in injuries, particularly bone fractures caused by falls during games.