These movements also improve joint and bone health and burn between 200-300 calories per 30-minute game—36 percent more calories than steadily walking the same amount of time. Pickleball also gets the blood pumping, as research shows that a person’s average heart rate during a game qualifies the sport as a moderate-intensity workout, providing “improved cardiorespiratory fitness, lower blood pressure, and a better cholesterol profile,” says Dalleck, who co-authored the study.
Edwards also praises pickleball for helping with hand-eye coordination and aiding in neuromuscular communication, better posture, and improved balance. “Eventually we are coordinated enough to hit a dink or a smash, maybe even put some spin on a serve or return shot,” he says.
These benefits are especially beneficial in those 65 and older; individuals most affected by lower activity levels as aging occurs. “The combination of aging plus inactivity can accelerate the decline in fitness levels, which can markedly increase the risk for various chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” explains Dalleck.
His research team investigated this age group specifically and learned that the average senior pickleball participant increased their cardiorespiratory fitness levels by about 12 percent. “This improvement carries important benefits as each 10 percent improvement equates to a 15 percent reduced risk for cardiovascular disease mortality,” he explains. It’s one reason, he says, “that the middle-aged and older adult populations might potentially have the most to gain by picking up an activity or sport such as pickleball.”
Injuries are common
But it isn’t all good news as injuries related to the sport do occur and have, unsurprisingly, risen with the growing number of participants. From 2013 through 2022 in the U.S., for instance, “there was a total of 12,021 estimated pickleball injuries,” says Fredericson. He says the wrist is the most common injury location, accounting for about 70 percent of needed medical interventions.
