5 Health Benefits of Pickleball

How America’s fastest-growing sport benefits your heart and brain

Kristen Fischer,

AARP

Comments

Published August 13, 2025

Pickleball has been America’s fastest growing sport for the last four years, with the average growth rate of 311 percent over the last three of those, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Hitting the court to play pickleball isn’t just fun, it comes with some big health benefits, both mental and physical. In fact, the fun people have playing with their friends isone of the health benefits.

People over age 65 make up the second largest age bracket, making up 15 percent of participants. So millions of older players are reaping the health benefits of the sport.

Pickleball is easier on joints compared to other sports, helps maintain bone density, and can improve balance and coordination that’s crucial for fall prevention, Lisa K. Cannada, M.D., says an orthopedic trauma surgeon and adjunct professor at University of North Carolina. The underhand serving motion is gentler on the shoulder than other racquet sports and the court is smaller, so there’s less ground to cover if you have mobility limitations, Cannada adds.

Sandra Webber, a professor in physical therapy at the University of Manitoba who studies pickleball, says the social aspect is especially good for older people. Plus, the competitive nature of the game is what makes them regulars on the court, she says.

A 2024 review on 27 existing studies found benefits from pickleball that include better well-being, more social interaction and getting more physical activity. Here’s a breakdown of some of the main benefits.

1. Improves heart health

Webber’s 2022 study in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity tracked heart rate and steps in older adults who played singles and doubles. Players were an average of 62 years old on average and played one to two hours at a time. Those playing one-on-one averaged 3,322 steps per hour while doubles averaged 2,791 steps. Average heart rates for both were 111 beats per minutes; heart rates were in the moderate to rigorous intensity zone for more than 70 percent of play time in both players.Unsurprisingly, the study found that singles play lead to slightly more exercise. Both singles and doubles players had an average heart rate of 111 beats per minute. Singles players had higher steps per hour because of the greater movement required. Heart rates were in a moderate intensity zone for more than 70 percent of play time in both singles and doubles.

If an older adult played pickleball for four and a half hours each week, Webber says, they would meet the standard physical activity recommendation of exercising at least 150 minutes at moderate-intensity activity per week. Because the sport is so engaging, meeting the physical activity recommendation is easier, says Webber.A 2018 report found that pickleball provides a moderate-intensity workout and improves cardiorespiratory fitness. By improving the strength of the heart and the respiratory system, it can help prevent heart disease.

Just don’t rely on pickleball to meet all your exercise needs, Webber says. You still need strength or resistance training too, she notes.

2. Builds muscle tone

When you’re volleying back and forth, you’re not just increasing your heart rate — you’re toning up, too. The shifting delivers a strong muscle contraction, Webber says.

If your competitive nature comes out and you want to advance your game, you’ll likely engage resistance or weight training off the court. Just another motivation to work your muscles, which is critical as we age to maintain muscle mass, prevent muscle loss, improve mobility and boost longevity.

3. Bone health

Webber says she suspects another study she is currently conducting with other researchers will likely show that pickleball is also good for bone health.

The study is examining how the impact of pickleball effects bones. The researchers want to see if jumping and changing direction give enough impact to meet recommendations for optimal bone health, as weight-bearing impact can help keep bones healthy. For example, walking up a set of stairs is better for your bones than an activity like biking where you’re not putting weight on the bones.

“We don't have the final results on that yet, but it's looking very encouraging,” Webber adds.

4. Improves balance, eye-hand coordination and cognitive function

Staying active is beneficial in general for brain health. One small 2021 study that assessed effects of playing pickleball on 21men and women between the ages of 50 to 75 found that the game boosted cognitive function, how muscles worked and perceived pain.

Playing the game regularly can improve the vestibular system, which includes balance that is critical to prevent falls in a population at a higher risk for them. Playing also enhances hand-eye coordination, J. Mica Guzman, Jr., M.D., an assistant professor of surgery and perioperative care at The University of Texas at Austin, points out. The game also works proprioception, which is your sense of space, he adds.

“It's all integrated, and so this is fantastic for getting that entire system coordinated and for refining it,” Guzman notes. This can help people with the sport, but in other activities too. “So, lots of benefits outside of the offside of the court as well.”

There’s room to get better every time you hit the court and you can start at just about any level. “There’s so many different shots to learn and progress your game,” says Webber. Once you get beyond the beginner level, there’s a lot of strategy involved — that’s mentally engaging for people,” Webber adds.

5. Benefits mood and mental health

Playing singles or doubles is “fantastically great for social engagement,” which is so important as we age, Guzman says. Specifically, the social aspects of pickleball can ease anxiety, stress and depression, research shows. This aligns with other research showing the staying physically active is linked to better mental health in older adults.

Preventing injuries

Though the sport has gotten some bad press for injuries, Webber thinks it’s natural to see due to pickleball’s popularity. Most of the injuries aren’t serious, but people do need to protect their eyes, she warns. Adding in strength training between matches can help prevent injuries, as can warming up before a match, she adds.

Injuries tend to occur when you first start playing, because your body may be unfamiliar with the movements and pace of the game, says Guzman It's not a contact sport, but contact injuries can happen, he warns. Just talk to your doctor before you visit the court for the first time, he adds.

For more tips on how to stay safe on the courts, see 7 Ways to Prevent Pickleball Injuries.

The takeaway

Pickleball is a fun, addictive sport that’s ideal for older adults because it increases your heart rate up, gets muscles moving, maintains bone health, keeps your brain challenged, can protect against falls, and connects you with others. The competition and social engagement can keep you coming back to the court for more, which means it may be just the thing to help you exercise consistently.

%{postComment}%

Kristen Fischer is a contributing writer at AARP based at the Jersey Shore. She has also written for Health, WebMD, and McKnights and is the author of Zoo Zen: A Yoga Story for Kids.