Pickleball: A Senior's Secret to Staying Young and Healthy

Pickleball's Top 7 Benefits for Senior Citizens

If you are a senior citizen, you must continue to be physically active so you can maintain a healthy lifestyle. One of the most popular sports among seniors in recent years is pickleball. 

What age is a senior citizen? It depends on whom you ask. Is it 50 (to get into AARP)? Is it 65 (the generally accepted federal definition for retirement—but many work well into their 70s and 80s)? Is it 55 (the starting age for senior citizen demographics studies)? Based on this wide range of ages, a senior can be from 50 to 65 years old! 

In this blog post, we will look at the top 7 health benefits of pickleball for senior citizens and see why this sport is an excellent choice for many adults who want to stay fit and active in their golden years. Whether you are considering playing this sport or a seasoned pickleball player, you will find some great info in this blog post.

What is Pickleball? 

It’s a sport that includes elements from tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Pickleball is popular because it is lots of fun, a great way to socialize with other seniors, can be played indoors or outdoors, and is less jarring on muscles as compared to tennis, running, etc. Incidentally, I was surprised that the sport with the most amount of injuries to seniors was bicycle riding!

Pickleball Court Size

How big is a pickleball court? Many people are surprised how much smaller a pickleball court is than a tennis court. A tennis court’s measurement is 60 feet wide by 120 feet long, a pickleball court size is only 20 feet wide by 44 feet long, comparable to a badminton court. You can fit four pickleball courts into one tennis court!

1. Pickleball Improves Your Cardiovascular Health

The fact that playing pickleball frequently is good for your heart, and people love it. Like many other sports, this one also requires a lot of hand and leg movements, which help to increase the heart rate and, therefore blood circulation improves.

How Pickleball Can Improve Your Heart Health

For instance, if you are playing with other people in a pickleball match, you are performing aerobic exercise, which is extremely valuable for heart health.

According to the American Heart Association, “Regular aerobic activity can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of heart disease.” For seniors, maintaining cardiovascular health is essential for longevity and a high quality of life.

Reference
American Heart Association. (2018). “Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults.” Link

2. Better balance and coordination

“Playing pickleball requires quick movements, lateral shifts, and precise hand-eye coordination, which enhance balance and coordination.” A study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that “activities like pickleball can significantly improve balance in older adults.”

Reference
Hsu, H., & Chou, L. (2015). “The effects of a balance training program on balance performance in older adults.” Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 23(2), 115-123. Link

Bottom line: Any movement that gets the body moving and to a greater range of motion and that helps a person’s balance is important for the elderly, according to Aging in Sports.

The study measured the effects of a balance training intervention on older individuals. The sample was defined as a sample of 50 older adults. Results showed that a balance training intervention improved balance performance as measured through a pre and post-intervention testing phase. Therefore, a more balanced intervention like this will work better for the elderly population.

3. Social Interaction

Especially for seniors, who may experience loneliness or social isolation, pickelball becomes an excellent opportunity to interact with other people.

Connection Building

The majority of pickleball games are played as doubles, players must depend on each other and collaborate as a team. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles determined that preserving social ties is an important way to beat loneliness and is good for your mental health.

Here's a great description from Pickabilly Jan on Quora on the Social Interaction with Pickleball, " If you love meeting new people, you will love pickleball. There are four players on each court. Often in rec play, you’ll continually rotate partners so you’ll make lots of friends quickly. Next, it’s a deceptively easy sport. You’ll learn it quickly and can have early success. Like any sport, there are nuances and things to master in order to work your way up the ladder."

Reference
University of California, Los Angeles. (2016). “Social connections and health: The importance of social ties.” Link

4. Weight Management

An elderly person has more to lose from being overweight than just the illness it might bring. Excess weight can lead to such problems as diabetes, joint disorders, and heart disease. Playing pickleball helps people control their weight in a fun and practical way.

Calorie Burning

A study written in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that "activities of moderate intensity such as pickleball use up a large number of calories and aid to weight regulation."

Reference
Jakicic, J. M., & Clark, K. (2019). “The role of physical activity in weight loss and maintenance.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 56(4), 648-657. Link

5. Increased Flexibility and Strength

Both strength and flexibility are essential elements of physical fitness. Playing pickleball helps in both of these areas.

Importance of Movement

Play the various moves involved in play with the ball—lunging, reaching forward, and swinging from side to side—and you'll see improvements in flexibility of all kinds. The Journal of Sports Science & Medicine study said, “regular participation in racquet sports can enhance both flexibility and muscle strength in older adults.”

Reference
Kocak, M., & Akca, F. (2016). “The effects of regular physical activity on flexibility and muscular strength in older adults.” Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 15(2), 367-374. Link

6. Cognitive Benefits

Numerous studies have shown that, in general, physical activity is correlated with enhanced cognitive function, and pickleball is no different. It all requires quick thinking, strategy, and focus, which is great for keeping your mind sharp.

Mental Stimulation

According to a study published in Neuropsychology Review, “cognitive engagement through physical activities like pickleball can lead to improved cognitive abilities, such as memory, focus, and problem-solving skills.”

Reference
Colcombe, S., & Kramer, A. F. (2003). “Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: A meta-analytic study.” Neuropsychology Review, 13(2), 162-182. Link

7. A Fun and Enjoyable Exercise

Arguably the number one benefit of pickleball is that it is fun! Therefore, activities that are fun are the ones most likely to be continued long-term, and pickleball is just a great choice for seniors who desire to remain active.

The Joy of Playing

The social environment, combined with the unique nature of the game, creates a joyful experience. A study from the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine emphasizes that “engaging in enjoyable physical activities leads to better adherence to exercise routines among older adults.”

I love this post from an avid Reddit pickleball player: “I really haven't found a hobby or passion that brings me as much excitement as pickleball has since I got 'addicted’ to it in the past year or two. One of my favorite things about the sport is that I get to play a competitive sport with my parents and all sorts of different ages and demographics when I go to the court. Who knew playing with grandma could be so fun? And it's a legitimate physical activity.”  

Reference
O’Neil, K. (2015). “The role of enjoyment in exercise adherence in older adults.” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 9(4), 286-293. Link

Final Thoughts On Pickleball Health Benefits for Seniors

Because of the many pickleball health benefits for seniors, it promotes heart health, encourages the mind and the body's equilibrium and mental acuity.  It's a wonderful social experience, a means to shed or maintain pounds, build muscle, and most importantly, have fun.

A word of caution before starting to play pickleball. The top injuries are sprains, strains, and falls from excessive force or rarely used movements. If you're questioning your injury potential, talk to your doctor. Those who fall often, have poor balance, or have a history of traumatic injuries to the back, hips, knees, and shoulders should probably not play.

Getting started is simple and enjoyable to remain active and engage with the community playing this wonderful game, whether you're a beginner or an advanced player.  All it takes is a trip to a local sporting goods store or an online purchase of a paddle, followed by your body's warm-up and stretch—it's a low-impact activity—getting coached by someone who plays currently for the fundamentals—or there are tons of instructional videos online—or picking a court in your proximity.  There's no time like the present—maybe you're one of many older adults who already play!


About the Author 
Joel Williams is not only the creator of this supplement & anti-aging company, Vita Day Products, but has been a passionate pickleball player for the last four years.

 

As a senior citizen, he wanted to be active but realized that he couldn't do certain activities like jogging, tennis, and dirt bike riding like he used to do. Instead, he chooses less jarring sports like hiking, bicycling, swimming, and pickleball. He loves the competition in this sport (he mostly plays doubles) and all the friends he made with his wife Suzanne.