Pickleball and mental health in adults: A systematic review

Abstract

IntroductionPhysical activity has been extensively studied and numerous mental health benefits have been found. Pickleball is an emerging racquet sport, which is characterized by its accessibility to all audiences and has become especially popular in the United States among the elderly. It is a novel team game and its inclusive nature is innovative for health improvement. The purpose of this systematic review was to review and evaluate existing studies that have examined the effects of pickleball on the mental and psychological health of individuals.MethodsA systematic review was conducted on articles found in Scopus, PubMed, Elsevier, Web of Science (WoS), PsyINFO, Dialnet, and Elton B. Stephens Company (EBESCO) from 1975 to the present. The keywords used was a five combination between “Pickleball” joint with different terms by the connector AND, the second part of the combo could be “mental disorder” OR “anxiety” OR “depression” OR “psychological health” OR “mental health.” Eligibility criteria included: papers focused on pickleball, in English or Spanish, on mental health variables, without establishing an age range. We excluded duplicate works, without access or that did not address the objective of this study.ResultsThe search resulted in 63 papers, of which 13 were selected. A total of 90.74% of the population were people over 50 years of age. The results show significant improvements in the different psychological variables measured in pickleball practitioners: personal wellbeing, life satisfaction, depression, stress, happiness, etc., pickleball shows potential as a new tool to work and improve people’s mental health.ConclusionsThe pickleball is displayed as an inclusive sport that does not need adaptations, resulting of great interest to be worked in different populations with mental problems.

Treating Geriatric Sports Injury Among Pickleball Players: A Narrative Review of an Exercise Craze Among Seniors

“…In an analysis of papers relating to pickleball, it was reported that the vast majority of pickleball players were >50 years of age, and pickleball participation resulted in improvements in a sense of personal well-being, reduction of stress and depression, and enhanced satisfaction with everyday life [ 4 ]. The inclusive nature of pickleball makes it a particularly appealing sport for older people.…”

“…The inclusive nature of pickleball makes it a particularly appealing sport for older people. Physical exercise can be an important component of overall health in general and mental health in particular and can be particularly beneficial in people with mental health disorders or physical limitations that might preclude them from other forms of sports [ 4 ].…”

“…While senior players are more likely to sustain pickleball-related injuries than younger players, the benefits of pickleball must be considered when evaluating the suitability of the sport for geriatric persons. Pickleball improves physical well-being, cognition, and mood in senior citizens, even those who previously had a sedentary lifestyle [ 4 , 5 ]. However, clinicians must be prepared both to treat pickleball injuries and to advise their patients on how to reduce the risk of injury [ 19 ].…”

“…The game took its name from the nautical sports term “pickle boat,” a humorous and disparaging term that referred to the last boat to finish a race. There is folklore that the game was named after the Pritchard’s family dog, Pickles, but Pickles joined the family after the game was invented; the dog Pickles was named for the game, not the other way around [ 4 ].…”