Racquet Sports Keep Heart and Mind in the Game

Whether it’s a newer craze like pickleball or an old favorite like badminton or tennis, racquet sports offer unique benefits to your body and mind as you age. 

On the tennis court, you get a great mental workout, says Mark Kovacs, executive director of the International Tennis Performance Association. That’s because your brain must switch gears frequently: “You have to keep your arms and legs moving to get to the ball, make contact with the ball, figure out where to hit it and then get to the next shot. It’s not a one-off event like hitting a golf ball and walking a long distance before you have to do something again.”

Attention improves too. “The visual process of having to recognize the ball coming at you quickly can transfer to your life off the court,” Kovacs says. “Your brain has to recognize situations quickly and find ways to deal with them.”

One study of 26 adults ages 53 to 70, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2021, found that those who played the most tennis were less likely to have stiff arteries and insulin resistance (when your body stops responding properly to the hormone insulin, leading to high blood sugar) than those who played the least. Both stiff arteries and insulin resistance are considered risk factors for cognitive impairment.

Pickleball, a sport that’s played on a small court with a net using paddles and a plastic ball, has grown in popularity in recent years because it’s fun, easy to learn and social. One study showed it to be a great workout, as well. For 33 adults age 65 and older who wore Fitbit monitors, a game of pickleball provided more than 68 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity. The results were published in Recreational Sports Journal in 2023.

Pickleball can also reduce stress and depression and increase well-being and life satisfaction, according to a systematic review of 13 studies involving a total of 5,405 participants, most of whom were over the age of 50, published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2023.

And don’t forget about badminton. People who took eight weeks of badminton classes increased their physical fitness and improved their cognitive function more than those in the control group, according to a study of 43 adults in their late 60s and early 70s published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity in 2024.

Ready to try a racquet sport?

For pickleball, learn how to get started, avoid injuries and find a clinic near you. And for tennis and badminton, check whether your local parks and recreation department offers lessons or open play sessions where you can be matched with people at your skill level — a sports complex or YMCA are also good options.