The start of any New Year comes with fitness resolutions, with many looking to take up different exercises in an effort to maintain their fitness levels. I’ve recently taken up pole dancing and Lyra, but for those who want something less strenuous, may I suggest pickleball? Taking to Instagram, author and explorer Dan Buettner spoke about the benefits of exercise, touting it as an amazing longevity boost.
Dan Buettner: Pickleball Is Great for Longevity in 2025
“[But] I’m here to say that I think the sport that adds the most years to your life expectancy is pickleball.” – Dan Buettner, Instagram
The article below will discuss Dan Buettner’s claims, highlighting the benefits of pickleball, but also addressing the risks that come with the sport.
Similar to tennis, pickleball features a court, paddle, ball, net, and rules whereby opposing teams attempt to pass the ball back and forth. Over the past few years, pickleball has grown in popularity, particularly because of its benefits on the body.
Health Benefits of Pickleball
1. A low impact workout
Likely the reason behind its popularity, pickleball is a low impact workout that makes it suitable for many, regardless of age or fitness level. Thanks to it being easy on the body, it’s not only an easy way to stay fit, but the risk of injury or strain on bones, joints, and muscles is lower.
2. Improves heart health
According to a small study from the American Council on Exercise, pickleball was found to trigger improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
Aside from it being a full body exercise, pickleball is a great cardiovascular exercise because it raises your heart rate, helping to achieve the recommended weekly minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, and this translates to better heart health.
3. Increases balance and coordination
Falls are incredibly common, and are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older, so it’s important to mitigate the risks.
Improving your balance and coordination can do so, and pickleball is a sport that can achieve this. The manner in which the game is played, moving around the court and hitting the ball, helps to sharpen the connections between the body, brain, and eyes.
4. Boosts brain health
Pickleball isn’t just great for the body, but it’s also an incredible workout for the brain, so much so that it improves both cognitive skills and mental wellness.
A review published in Frontiers in Psychology noted improvements in personal well-being, life satisfaction, depression, stress, and happiness amongst pickleball practitioners, while a separate study found that a six-week pickleball course increased cognitive skills amongst older adults.
5. Burns calories
It may be low impact, but that doesn’t mean that pickleball isn’t a calorie-burner.
One study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggested that pickleball is a better calorie burner than walking, with middle-aged players burning 40% more calories during a 30-minute pickleball game than during 30 minutes of walking.
6. Socialize
Social connections are incredibly vital, so much so that they’re the backbone for communities with long-living inhabitants (which is something that Dan Buettner is well-versed in),
“You can’t help but meet people when you get on the pickleball court. It’s regular, it’s something you can do every day, it’s something that’s available to just about anybody for very cheap.” – Dan Buettner
Social isolation and loneliness have been found to increase the risk of dementia, depression, and premature death. Yet the interactions on the pickleball court may help to prevent this, with one study concluding pickleball as a great option for lonely women looking for connection through group exercise.
Is Pickleball dangerous?
Alongside its popularity, pickleball injuries have also increased, with bone fractures related to the sport increasing 200% over the last 20 years. However, the researchers noted that the injuries were less about the sport, and more about the player’s state of health,
“Despite its reputation as a low-impact sport, pickleball can pose serious risk for players, especially if they have weaker bones from osteoporosis,” explained Kurt P. Spindler, MD, FAAOS, orthopedic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic in Florida. With that said, Dr. Spindler advises that you examine your risk profile for injury and speak with a physician to see how you can lower your risk,
“If you know you’re at risk for weakened bones, it’s important to build your bone mass as you age with appropriate nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D and choosing weight-bearing activities.”
In addition to prioritizing your bone health, it’s advisable to not overdo it (your body needs rest), to regularly stretch, drink enough water, get plenty of sleep, and to wear the right pickleball shoes.
Want to know more?
Pickleball isn’t the only sport you should think of taking up this year, as rucking is a workout that will have you breaking a sweat all 2025.
References
@danbuettner (2025). Instagram. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DElXe7Fyjbf/(Accessed: 22 January 2025)
CDC (2024). Older adult falls data. [online] Older Adult Fall Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html.
Cerezuela, J., Lirola, M., & Cangas, A. J. (2023). Pickleball and mental health in adults: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1137047. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1137047
Dalleck, L.C., , Smith, L.E., Buchanan, C.A., Green, D.J. (2018). ACE – CertifiedTM: August 2018 – ACE-SPONSORED RESEARCH: Can Pickleball Help Middle-aged and Older Adults Get Fit? [online] Acefitness.org. Available at: https://www.acefitness.org/continuing-education/certified/august-2018/7053/ace-sponsored-research-can-pickleball-help-middle-aged-and-older-adults-get-fit/
Ryu, J., Yang, H., Kim, A.C., Kim, K. and Heo, J. (2017). UNDERSTANDING PICKLEBALL AS A NEW LEISURE PURSUIT IN OLDER ADULTS. Innovation in Aging, [online] 1(suppl_1), pp.1165–1165. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx004.4248.
Smith, M., Denning, M., Zagrodnik, J. and Ruden, T. (2016). A Comparison of Pickleball and Walking. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48, pp.93–94. doi:https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000485287.22769.50.
Surgeons, A.A. of O. (n.d.). New Study Identifies Increased Fracture Risk for Older Pickleball Players. [online] www.prnewswire.com. Available at: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-study-identifies-increased-fracture-risk-for-older-pickleball-players-302058911.html.
Wray, P., Ward, C. K., Nelson, C., Sulzer, S. H., et al. (2020). Pickleball for Inactive Mid-Life and Older Adults in Rural Utah: A Feasibility Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8374. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168374
