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From pickleball to tennis, racquet sports are popular due to the many benefits

From improving heart health to empowering social connection, there are plenty of reasons to give racquet sports a try.

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Man outside playing tennis
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Many people like to get some exercise by playing games and sports. Racquet sports like pickleball, racquetball, tennis, and badminton are increasingly popular because not only are they fun to play, but they also provide a range of benefits. Personally, I enjoy playing tennis from time to time, and I used to play table tennis regularly.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., and I hear some of my friends talking about playing pickleball these days. Let’s take a look at the research that gives us plenty of reasons to try playing some of these fun racquet sports.

What are racquet sports?

man playing pickleball
Anhleephoto / Pexels

Racquet sports or games involve using a paddle or racket to hit a shuttlecock or ball. Some of the most commonly played racquet or racket sports are tennis, badminton, squash, pickleball, and table tennis. Racquet sports involve speed and agility. The rackets vary depending on the type of sport; for example, a tennis racket looks different from a pickleball paddle.

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Many of these sports are played on a rectangular court using a net. In the case of table tennis or ping pong, players use rackets to hit the ball over a net on a table.

What are the benefits?

man playing tennis running
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There are plenty of reasons to give racquet sports a try. Fitness buffs and athletes are on to something when they tell you to pick up that racket and play. Let’s take a look at the research on the benefits.

Live longer

man playing table tennis
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One study involving 8,577 Danish residents revealed that those who frequently played tennis lived an average of 9.7 years longer compared to sedentary participants.

State of mind and well-being

man playing tennis active
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More interesting research revealed that playing tennis was associated with a higher state of mind and improved well-being.

Improve your heart health

Stethoscope wrapped around a small paper red heart on a light blue background
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In a nine-year study involving 80,306 people published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers concluded that those who regularly played racket sports had a 56% lower risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease.

Musculoskeletal health

tennis racket close up
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Researchers have also found that racket sports improve musculoskeletal health, which refers to the well-being and functioning of your muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues. Having good musculoskeletal health helps you with mobility, functioning, posture, and protecting your vital organs like your heart and lungs.

Empowering social connections

happy man and woman playing table tennis on wooden table
Shvets Production / Pexels

Researchers also reported that engaging in racket sports is interactive and empowers social connections. These social connections help to prevent feelings of loneliness and depression.

Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and…
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