The short version: pickleball is moderate-intensity exercise that measurably improves heart fitness, blood pressure, balance and walking speed, and players report less loneliness and better wellbeing. Those claims come from published studies, including the sport’s first randomized controlled trials in 2025 and 2026. The main risk is injury from falls, mostly in older players. We’ve read all 100 pickleball research papers in PubMed (our review). These are the benefits that hold up.
Source: Dalleck et al., ACE (2018); International Journal of Nursing Studies (2026); Journal of Aging and Physical Activity (2025)
The benefits, and how strong the evidence is
| Benefit | Key finding | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Counts as moderate exercise | 4.1 METs, about 70% of predicted max heart rate | Lab and field measurements |
| Fitter heart and lungs | VO2max up 3.1 ml/kg/min in 6 weeks | Before-and-after study, no control group |
| Lower blood pressure | Systolic −4.75, diastolic −2.5 mmHg in 6 weeks | Before-and-after study, no control group |
| Better cholesterol | HDL +3.1, LDL −3.7 mg/dL in 6 weeks | Before-and-after study, no control group |
| Better balance and walking | Balance +28.5%, walking speed +13.1% in 8 weeks | Randomized trial |
| Reverses pre-frailty | 42% recovered vs 8% of controls in 8 weeks | Randomized trial |
| Less loneliness | Non-players had 1.53× the odds of loneliness | National survey |
| Better mental wellbeing | Higher scores with more frequent, longer play | National survey |
| Help for specific conditions | Parkinson’s, cancer survivors, sedentary adults | Small pilot studies |
“Randomized trial” means people were assigned to play or not by chance, so the difference can be credited to pickleball. Surveys show associations: healthier, more social people may simply be more likely to play.
1. It’s real exercise
In the only lab study of pickleball’s energy cost, 15 recreational players aged 40 to 85 averaged 4.1 METs, burning about 354 calories per 60 minutes, and reached moderate intensity within about a minute of starting play (ACE-sponsored study, 2018). A University of Manitoba study of 53 players with an average age of 62 found average heart rates of 111 bpm, about 70% of predicted maximum, and over 70% of playing time at moderate-to-vigorous heart rates in both singles and doubles (Webber et al., 2022).
US guidelines ask adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (HHS Physical Activity Guidelines). Three hour-long games do it. For your own numbers, use the calories burned calculator.
2. A fitter heart, lower blood pressure, better cholesterol
The same ACE study followed its players for six weeks of pickleball, one hour three times a week. Compared with their own starting values:
Bars show the average after six weeks; the tick marks where the group started. All four changes were statistically significant.
Source: Dalleck et al., ACE-sponsored study (2018), Table 3; values after = baseline + mean change
Weight, waist size and body fat didn’t change significantly. The study had no control group and only 15 people, so it’s encouraging rather than conclusive.
3. Better balance and steadier walking
Falls are the biggest health threat to older adults, and also the biggest cause of pickleball injuries. So it matters that the first randomized trials point to better balance:
- Women aged 60 to 75, 8 weeks, three sessions a week: balance test scores up 28.5%, stride velocity up 13.1%, stride length up 5.4%, and social capital up 12.6%. The control group’s balance and gait got worse (Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2025).
- Pre-frail adults with a median age of 67, 8 weeks of supervised play: lower-limb coordination improved while walking and doing a second task at the same time, a skill linked to avoiding falls (Experimental Gerontology, 2026).
- Players vs. non-players over 55: players had better balance and stronger legs, even though both groups reported similar overall activity (Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2026).
4. It can reverse pre-frailty
Pre-frailty is the stage before frailty, when strength and stamina start to slip. In a randomized trial of 72 older adults, 42% of the pickleball group were no longer pre-frail after 8 weeks, against 8% of the control group. The pickleball group also improved chair-stand, arm-curl and 6-minute walk results, sat less, and reported better physical and mental quality of life (International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2026).
5. Less loneliness
In a national survey of 825 adults over 50, 57% reported being lonely. Those who had never played pickleball had 1.53 times the adjusted odds of loneliness compared with current players, and players reported more social connections (Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 2025). It’s a social sport by design: four people on a small court, talking between points, rotating partners at open play.
6. Better mood and wellbeing, and more is better
Among 1,667 US players, those who played three or more times a week scored 3.3 points higher on the WHO-5 wellbeing index than those who played less, and those who played more than two hours a session scored 3.0 points higher. The link was strongest in players aged 63 to 77 and weaker in recently injured players (Frontiers in Psychology, 2025). A 2023 systematic review of 13 studies found improvements in wellbeing, life satisfaction, depression and stress (Frontiers in Psychology, 2023). A one-off 100-minute pickleball session even raised university students’ vitality scores (J. Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2025).
7. A way back into exercise
Pilot programs have used pickleball for groups who struggle to stay active, with high attendance:
- Parkinson’s disease: 16 people, 6 weeks, 100% retention. Hand dexterity and grip strength improved (Disability and Rehabilitation, 2026).
- Cancer survivors: a YMCA program met its targets for recruitment, retention and adherence, with more physical activity and better fitness (Healthcare, 2025).
- Inactive rural adults in Utah: improvements in vertical jump and cognitive performance, less pain, and a desire to keep playing (IJERPH, 2021).
These were small, mostly without control groups. They show pickleball is feasible and well liked for these groups, not that it’s a treatment.
The other side: injuries
Any honest list of benefits includes the risks. Pickleball ER visits rose from about 1,300 in 2014 to about 24,500 in 2023, mostly in players aged 60 to 79 and mostly from falls (Sports Health, 2025). The most common serious injuries are wrist fractures, sprains and, in new players, Achilles tendon ruptures. Those counts rose alongside a huge rise in players, and no study has yet measured the injury rate per hour played.
What helps, according to the research: build up gradually, warm up, wear court shoes, and work on balance. Our injury prevention guide has the details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pickleball good exercise?
Yes. Measured players work at about 4.1 METs and 70% of predicted maximum heart rate, which is moderate intensity. Three hours a week meets the US guideline of 150 minutes of moderate activity.
Does pickleball lower blood pressure?
In a six-week study of 15 recreational players, systolic blood pressure fell by 4.75 mmHg and diastolic by 2.5 mmHg on average. The study had no control group.
Is pickleball good for seniors?
The research is mostly on older adults, and it’s positive: randomized trials found better balance, gait and frailty status after 8 weeks. The main risk for older players is falls, so footwork and balance work matter. See pickleball for seniors.
Is pickleball good for mental health?
Surveys link playing to less loneliness and higher wellbeing, with more frequent play associated with higher scores. These show associations, not proof of cause.
Can pickleball help you lose weight?
It burns about 280 calories an hour at 150 lb. In the six-week ACE study, weight and body fat didn’t change significantly, so diet matters too. See pickleball and weight loss.