Picture this: a court where you serve with a playful “pickle” and rally with teammates, laughing and bonding over every shot. It sounds simple, fun, and social, right? But what if this sport also had the power to improve your health in ways you never expected? Welcome to the world of pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in America. With its blend of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, this game is taking the country by storm, and its health benefits might surprise you. But what makes it so special?
Key Takeaways
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Pickleball improves cardiorespiratory fitness, providing benefits such as improved cholesterol and blood pressure levels, especially for older adults.
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Compared to walking, playing doubles pickleball increases heart rates, burns more calories, and significantly boosts enjoyment.
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Studies show that pickleball enhances cognitive function, muscle coordination, and reduces pain in older adults, contributing to successful aging.
Why This Social Sport Is Helping Seniors Stay Fit and Healthy
What do you do if someone tries a falafel while keeping a flat face, or maybe a poach while you’re in the kitchen?
If you know what I’m referring to, then you’re one of five million players of America’s fastest growing sport - pickleball. It’s played by people of all ages, is fun, highly accessible – you can even play in a wheelchair – and is especially popular with older folk.
What’s more, it also offers a multitude of health benefits.
Pickleball was invented in the U.S. in 1965, so it’s taken a long time to get off the ground, but it looks set to continue its rapid upward thrust.
The game is a mix of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It’s played by two or four players (called picklers) on a small court, so there’s not much ground to cover. It uses rectangular, solid-faced bats that are shorter and lighter than a tennis racket, and a plastic ball with holes in it that’s less bouncy and doesn’t fly fast through the air. Serves – you call out “pickle” before you serve - are underhand, making them easier to hit and return, and there are good gaps to get your breath back if you get winded during play.
Being such a sociable and fun game with many advantages over conventional hard work, sports, its popularity with seniors comes as no surprise.
And it’s chock-full of health benefits, too.
Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Researchers from Western State Colorado University analyzed fifteen men and women aged from 40 to 85 who played four doubles sessions lasting 15 minutes each, every other day. At the end of six weeks, there were favorable changes in cholesterol, blood pressure, and maximal oxygen uptake.
They wrote that pickleball improves cardiorespiratory fitness and is “an ideal alternative form of physical activity for middle-aged and older adults.”
Another study found that compared to walking, the doubles version increased average heart rates by nearly 14 percent, peak heart rates by nearly 19 percent, burned up 36 percent more calories, increased perceived exertion by 44 percent and enjoyment levels by 150 percent. The researchers concluded that “playing pickleball may be a suitable physical activity to improve and maintain physical fitness.”
“Contribute[s] to Successful Aging”
In a third study of 153 picklers aged 50 and over, participants reported an improvement in their well-being. The researchers believe the sport “may add significant value to older adults’ daily lives and contribute to successful aging.”
The final study was carried out by academics at Utah State University who recruited 20 inactive participants between the ages of 50 and 75 from across three rural Utah counties. All played pickleball in pairs for one hour, three times a week, for a total of six weeks. The researchers found the following:
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Better brain health and cognitive function: Players experienced a small but significant increase in cognitive function with improvements in memory, attention, verbal function, and information processing speed.
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Improved muscle function: Players experienced a significant increase in skills related to moving and coordinating the muscles of the body. In fact, among participants vertical jump height increased by a dramatic 11 percent.
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Reduced pain and discomfort: Players revealed a slight but significant reduction in self-reported pain.
Fun, Easy-to-Learn
In post-study interviews, the participants reported that pickleball was enjoyable, easy to learn and participate in, even when not in the best of shape. What’s more, playing the sport improved their overall sense of well-being and resulted in daily chores seeming less strenuous and daunting. Best of all, participants agreed that pickleball was sociable, fun, and they wanted to keep on playing.
“Overall,” the researchers wrote, “pickleball appears to be a promising intervention to (1) elicit functional- and cognitive-related improvements, and (2) motivate mid-life and older adults to adhere to exercise sufficiently long to benefit their health.”
So, if you’re interested in performing a dillball or flabjack and maybe calling out OPA while avoiding a volley llama, it’s time to get involved. There are more than 38,000 indoor and outdoor courts in the U.S. To find one in your area, go to USA Pickleball.
Summary
Pickleball, a sport combining elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is not only fun and social but also provides significant health benefits. Research shows it can improve cardiorespiratory fitness, cognitive function, and muscle coordination. Especially popular among older adults, pickleball has proven to be an accessible and enjoyable way to stay active, contributing to successful aging. Whether you’re looking to stay fit or enjoy social time with friends, pickleball could be the sport for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age group benefits the most from pickleball?
Pickleball is popular among all ages, especially seniors, as it is a low-impact and highly social sport.
How does pickleball improve heart health?
Playing pickleball increases heart rate and burns more calories than walking, helping improve cardiovascular fitness.
Is pickleball easy to learn?
Yes! It’s designed to be easy to pick up and enjoyable for players of all fitness levels, even beginners.
Can pickleball help with cognitive function?
Studies show pickleball can improve memory, attention, and information processing, particularly in older adults.
How often should I play pickleball to see health benefits?
Playing two to three times a week, as shown in studies, provides significant health improvements, including better muscle function and reduced pain.
- Smith, L. E., Buchanan, C. A., & Dalleck, L. C. (2018). The acute and chronic physiological responses to pickleball in middle-aged and older adults. International Journal of Research in Exercise Physiology, 13(2), Spring 2018. High Altitude Exercise Physiology Program, Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, CO, USA.
- Denning, W., Zagrodnik, J., Smith, M., & Ruden, T. (2022). Physical activity differences between walking and playing pickleball doubles. Science & Sports, 37(5-6), 513.e1-513.e4.
- Heo, J., Ryu, J., Yang, H., Kim, A. C. H., & Rhee, Y. (2017). Importance of playing pickleball for older adults’ subjective well-being: A serious leisure perspective. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(1), 67–77.
- Wray, P., Ward, C. K., Nelson, C., Sulzer, S. H., Dakin, C. J., Thompson, B. J., Vierimaa, M., Das Gupta, D., & Bolton, D. A. E. (2021). Pickleball for Inactive Mid-Life and Older Adults in Rural Utah: A Feasibility Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(16), 8374
Susan D. Clark
Susan Clark is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated journalist and author who has written about nutrition, health, and wellness for 27 years. She has developed content for articles, reports, books, videos, and television news segments featuring some of today’s top alternative and integrative doctors. She earned a bachelor of science in broadcast journalism from Texas Christian University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and numerous pets.
