Doctor Pickleball

Medicine. Innovation. Healthy Living. Generosity.

Expert Orthopedic and hippocratic Advice For All Pickleball Athletes and most humans

Welcome to
Doctor Pickleball!

Mark C. Engasser, MD — Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon with over 46 years of surgical and medical experience treating athletic injuries and orthopedic conditions.

Mark C. Engasser, MD — Doctor Pickleball

What's on Tap Today

A Message from Dr. Pickleball

A Salute to Veterans—Two Days Early

Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11. Today, I’m sharing a tribute to the men and women who served our country, including my father, Charles Edwin Engasser.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read it, reflect on the veterans in your own life, and consider how you might honor them this Wednesday.

This Veterans Day tribute is personal. My father served with the U.S. Army Air Forces’ 10th Weather Squadron during World War II, in the China–Burma–India region.

As I’ve been putting his story together, I’ve thought about the many ways Americans have served, the veterans whose contributions deserve to be better known, and the humility and hard work I remember in my father’s generation.

I’m sharing this tribute today, ahead of Veterans Day, so we all have a little time to remember, reflect, and do something to honor the veterans in our lives. You might thank a veteran, ask about their story, reach out to a military family, or simply pause to remember someone who served.

— Dr. Mark Engasser

Doctor Pickleball

Read the Veterans Day Tribute
Infographic comparing rotator cuff repair, anatomic shoulder replacement, and reverse shoulder replacement for senior athletes

Today's Featured Musing

To Repair, Replace, or Reverse? That Is the Shoulder Question!

Three different shoulders. Three different problems. Three different operations.

Rotator cuff repair, anatomic replacement, or reverse replacement — the right answer depends entirely on the shoulder in question. Dr. Engasser compares all three operations with a new infographic: three different shoulders, three different problems, three different operations!

Mark C. Engasser, MD · Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon

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Recently on Tap

Sometimes It Takes a Reverse to Move Your Shoulder—and Your Pickleball Game—Forward!

Putting the ball where the socket used to be and the socket where the ball used to be sounds like a mistake. Today we look at why it's actually one of orthopedic surgery's most ingenious operations — and the first step back onto the court for players whose rotator cuff can no longer lift the arm.

Wherever We Cruise, We Need Pickleball to Amuse!

From a homemade pickleball court aboard a Norwegian cruise to battling ocean winds on the Nieuw Amsterdam, Nancy and I have discovered that some of the best cruise memories aren't made in port. They're made on the pickleball court!

Electrolytes: Do We Really Need Them?

From Gatorade and Powerade to the latest powders and packets, we’ll explore what’s in your bottle, when water may be enough, and why more sodium isn’t always better. Along the way, I’ll share the story of my tennis-playing uncle, his violin case, and the salt pill he took after every set.

Three musings, one goal: Keep moving, stay strong, and enjoy the game—and everything else life has to offer.

Cartoon of the Day

Ready to Play. Laundry Can Wait.

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The Latest from Dr. Pickleball's Musings

Musings Index Browse by Topic

A little medicine, a little humor, and a few thoughts on living—and playing—well.

Catch Your Eye? Take a Look.

  1. A Veterans Day Salute: My Father’s Quiet ServiceNewest
  2. To Repair, Replace, or Reverse? That Is the Shoulder Question!
  3. Sometimes It Takes a Reverse to Move Your Shoulder—and Your Pickleball Game—Forward!
  4. Wherever We Cruise, We Need Pickleball to Amuse!
  5. Electrolytes: Is Sodium Something I Need More Of, or Just Something I Put on My Steak?
  6. Sarcopenia: The Italian Island That Stole My Muscles
  7. Making Your Charitable Dollar Work Overtime: Because Even Your Money Deserves a Good Workout
  8. HCMC: A County Name, a Statewide Mission, and a Hospital Worth Saving
  9. Hyperbaric Oxygen: Can You Pressurize Your Way Back Onto the Pickleball Court?
  10. When the Doctor Needs a Doctor
Explore All Dr. Pickleball's Musings.
8 min readLatest

A Veterans Day Salute: My Father’s Quiet Service

This Veterans Day, Dr. Mark Engasser remembers his father’s quiet service in World War II and reflects on the courage, hard work, humility, and sacrifices of the veterans who helped shape America.

Read More →

— Mark C. Engasser, MD

To Repair, Replace, or Reverse? That Is the Shoulder Question!

Rotator cuff repair, anatomic shoulder replacement, or reverse shoulder replacement — which operation fits which shoulder? Dr. Engasser compares the three with a new infographic and shares a personal perspective: two different shoulders, two different operations, and two great results!

Read More →

Wherever We Cruise, We Need Pickleball to Amuse!

From homemade pickleball courts on a Norwegian cruise to battling ocean winds on the Nieuw Amsterdam, Nancy and I have discovered that the best cruise memories aren’t always made in port. Sometimes they’re made on the court!

Read More →

Sarcopenia: The Italian Island That Stole My Muscles

It sounds like a charming Mediterranean island, but sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle strength and mass that can come with age. Dr. Engasser explains why muscles fade, how resistance training and adequate protein help, and why even regular pickleball players benefit from dedicated strength work.

Read More →

When the Doctor Needs a Doctor

Doctors spend their careers asking patients how they feel. Sometimes the harder question is the one they need to ask themselves. Dr. Engasser reflects on physician burnout — why it matters to patients, what the latest AMA numbers show, and what actually helps.

Read More →
See All Musings →

Explore Doctor Pickleball

Orthopedics & Pickleball

Orthopedic conditions, pickleball injuries, sports medicine, injury prevention, and maintaining mobility — practical guidance from an experienced orthopedic surgeon.

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Medical AI & Breakthroughs

Artificial intelligence in medicine, AI drug discovery, cancer research, diagnostics, and clinical trials — exploring how technology is transforming healthcare.

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Longevity & Healthy Aging

Healthy aging, exercise, strength, independence, and emerging research into extending healthy lifespan — science-based insights for adults who want to stay active longer.

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"The Longer You Live, the Longer You Will Live."

Could artificial intelligence and medical breakthroughs help today's adults over 50 live longer, healthier lives? Doctor Pickleball explores the science, the possibilities, and the limitations of emerging medical discoveries.

Doctor Pickleball on Orthopedic Injuries

Pickleball injuries in the mature athlete run the gamut from ankle sprains to ACL tears, low back sprains to rotator cuff injuries. Many problems are nagging issues that do not prevent you from playing, but need a little help.

This website is a source for common sense information about frequent pickleball injuries and conditions. It also provides practical advice such as ways to prevent injury, when to see a doctor, have an MRI, or even consider surgery.

We want your OMG moment to mean "One More Game" versus a surprise "Oh My Gosh!" response to an unexpected physical problem that might have been minimized or prevented.

Dr. Engasser on the pickleball court

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Mark C. Engasser, MD
Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon

Mark C. Engasser, MD

Dr. Engasser has over 46 years of surgical and medical experience in treating athletic injuries and orthopedic conditions.

As an avid pickleball player himself, he brings both clinical expertise and firsthand experience to his advice for the pickleball community.

46+ Years of Orthopedic Experience
Orthopedic Surgeon
Grandfather of 8
Pickleball Athlete