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Can playing racquet sports improve your heart health? Here’s the research

Is swinging that racket good for your heart? What does the research show?

By Steph Green Published April 8, 2025

Man swinging tennis racket playing tennis happy — Isabella Mendes / Pexels

Could swinging the paddle or racket and playing that game of pickleball, badminton, tennis, squash, or ping pong be good for your heart health? Researchers decided to find out. Personally, I like a game of tennis here and there to work up a sweat and get my muscles moving. I’m not a reigning champion or anything, but I can definitely feel the benefits. Not only do I feel the calories burning and my muscles working, I can also feel my heart rate ramping up and my flexibility and balance improving over time. Let’s look at the research on racket sports and heart health.

Interesting research

In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers instructed participants to take part in six different types of exercise to compare the benefits: swimming, cycling, aerobics, soccer, running, and racket sports.

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The 80,306 study participants ranged in age from 30 to 98. The nine-year long study yielded interesting results.

The results

Researchers concluded that those who regularly played racket sports were 56% less likely to die of heart disease, which is a significant risk reduction. It’s important to note that this wasn’t just a small study, and the varying ages of the participants shows us how playing racquet sports affects a broader range of adults.

Badminton takes the lead

According to some research, badminton is the racquet sport with the highest cardiovascular and metabolic demand. Researchers measured the highest values of heart rate and lactic acid when participants engaged in badminton.

A fun cardiovascular workout

Playing racket sports like tennis, pickleball, and squash is a fun, cardiovascular workout that can be modified to different fitness levels. In another example, researchers found that those who play tennis have improved aerobic fitness and bone health, lower body percentage, and a lower risk of developing heart disease. The researchers noted that playing tennis long-term increases bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the lumbar spine, playing arm, and legs.

If we needed more reasons to get out there and swing that paddle or racket, the researchers keep on finding benefits of playing these fun, interactive sports.

Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…

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