Playing pickleball at least three times a week linked to better mental health

A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology provides evidence that individuals who play pickleball more frequently and for longer durations report better mental health. The findings suggest a positive “dose-response” relationship between the amount of play and wellbeing, particularly among older adults.

Wellbeing is a broad concept that extends beyond the simple absence of physical illness. It encompasses psychological, emotional, and social aspects of a person’s life. Public health officials increasingly view wellbeing as a primary goal of health initiatives.

Physical activity is widely recognized as a factor that supports wellbeing across the lifespan. However, different sports may offer varying levels of benefit depending on how often they are played. Pickleball has rapidly grown in popularity in the United States and globally.

This sport combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis on a smaller court. The equipment includes a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball. The game has a relatively easy learning curve and is accessible to people of various physical abilities.

Previous research has linked participation in organized sports to improved quality of life and reduced symptoms of depression. Some studies on tennis have hinted that playing frequency matters for mental distress levels. Yet, the specific relationship between the “dose” of pickleball and mental wellbeing remained unexplored.

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“Pickleball has grown rapidly in popularity, yet little was known about its potential mental health benefits, especially its dose-response effect. We wanted to address this gap by examining whether playing more pickleball is associated with better mental wellbeing, and if so, how much play might be needed to see meaningful effects,” said study author Olu Owoeye, an associate professor and director of the Translational Injury Prevention Lab at Saint Louis University.

Data for this research came from the Surveillance in Pickleball players to reduce INjury burden (SPIN) project. This is a larger initiative designed to understand the health impacts of the sport. The researchers distributed an online survey to active players across the United States.

To be eligible for the study, participants had to be residents of the U.S. and at least 18 years old. They also needed to play pickleball a minimum of once per month. Recruitment efforts utilized social media, newsletters, and flyers posted at pickleball facilities.

The final sample included 1,667 pickleball players. The average age of the participants was approximately 62.8 years. The ages ranged from 18 to 89 years, providing a wide view of the adult playing population.

Females accounted for roughly 55 percent of the respondents. The survey asked participants to report their playing habits over the past 12 months. This included how many times per week they played and how long a typical session lasted.

To assess mental health, the researchers employed the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index. This is a widely used questionnaire consisting of five positively worded statements. Participants rated how often they felt cheerful or in good spirits over the previous two weeks.

The responses were converted into a score ranging from 0 to 100. A score of 0 represents the worst possible wellbeing. A score of 100 represents the best possible wellbeing.

The researchers used statistical models to analyze the data. They controlled for variables such as age, sex, injury history, and participation in other sports. This allowed them to isolate the specific association between pickleball and mental health.

The results showed a significant association between play frequency and wellbeing. Players who engaged in the sport three or more times per week had an average wellbeing score of 77.5. Those who played two times or fewer per week had an average score of 73.5.

A similar pattern emerged regarding the duration of play sessions. Individuals who played for more than two hours per session had an average wellbeing score of 77.7. In contrast, those who played for two hours or less had an average score of 74.9.

“Engaging in more pickleball provides greater mental wellbeing, but even small doses appear to matter,” Owoeye told PsyPost. “Folks should strive to play more frequently to maximize the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of pickleball.”

The study also examined how personal characteristics moderated these results. Age proved to be a significant factor in the relationship between play and mental health. Older adults generally reported higher wellbeing scores than younger participants.

The positive link between frequent pickleball participation and wellbeing was consistent across all age groups. However, the effect appeared strongest among older adults. Specifically, the benefit peaked in the 63 to 67 age range.

There was a slight decline in scores for the oldest age category of players aged 78 and above. Despite this, the trend indicated that maintaining play into older age supports mental health. This aligns with theories that staying active helps mitigate age-related declines in wellbeing.

Injury history had a notable negative impact on the results. Players who reported sustaining an injury in the past year had substantially lower wellbeing scores. This finding held true regardless of how much they played.

The negative association with injury highlights the psychological toll of physical setbacks. Injuries can lead to pain and a loss of physical function. They often result in social isolation if the player can no longer participate in their community activities.

Sex did not appear to moderate the relationship between pickleball and wellbeing. The analysis showed no significant difference between male and female players. Both sexes experienced comparable increases in wellbeing associated with higher participation levels.

This suggests that the mental health benefits of the sport are equitable. It indicates that pickleball is an effective intervention for both men and women. Sex-specific modifications to programs may not be necessary to achieve these psychological gains.

One unexpected finding involved participation in other sports. The models showed a negative or borderline negative association between playing other sports and the wellbeing scores in this context. This requires further investigation to understand fully.

The authors discussed the implications of their findings for public health. The results support the idea that pickleball is a low-barrier strategy to promote mental health. Its social nature likely contributes to the observed benefits.

For older adults, the sport offers a way to combat loneliness and a diminished sense of purpose. The study reinforces the importance of injury prevention. Keeping players healthy allows them to sustain the participation levels that drive these mental benefits.

The study has several limitations that provide context for the results. The sample was skewed toward older adults, with an average age of 63. This is higher than the national average for pickleball players, which may limit how well the findings apply to younger groups.

The design of the study was cross-sectional. This means it captured data at a single point in time. Consequently, the researchers cannot prove that playing pickleball causes better mental health.

It is possible that people with higher mental wellbeing are simply more motivated to play sports. The direction of the relationship remains an open question. Additionally, the data relied on self-reports. Future research is needed to address these issues.

The researchers expressed an interest in conducting intervention studies. They aim to design structured pickleball programs to test these effects experimentally.

“We’d like to explore whether structured pickleball programs could be used as interventions for mental wellbeing,” Owoeye explained. “My team just completed a proposal for a faith-based pickleball program that will leverage the intergenerational and social connections that pickleball offers and evaluate these benefits over 12 weeks of structured pickleball exposure. We are currently looking for funding or sponsorship for this new project. Folks can support our research through our website (https://www.slu-tip-lab.com/donate).”

The study, “The more you play, the better you feel: a dose–response analysis of pickleball and mental wellbeing in U.S. adults,” was authored by Oluwatoyosi B. A. Owoeye, Joseph Grese, Madeline Stenersen, Ted Yemm, Chris Sebelski, and Katie Sniffen.