Padel and Pickleball: A new systematic review examined the affect on mental health
- Markus Gaebel
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Padel and pickleball – two rapidly growing racket sports – are not just filling up courts; they’re also showing promise for players’ mental well-being. A new systematic review in Frontiers in Psychology (2025) examined how these emerging sports affect mental health and found both sports offer distinct benefits. This comes at a time when participation is booming – there are around 300,000 amateur padel players worldwide, and U.S. pickleball participation surged by 223% from 2020 to 2023.
Yet until now, studies of their mental health impact were limited. For club operators, the findings provide valuable insights into who benefits most and how, offering guidance for program design and player support.
Pickleball’s Wellbeing Boost – Especially for Older Adults
One of the clearest takeaways is that pickleball can be a powerful mood booster. The review found regular pickleball play is linked to higher overall well-being and life satisfaction, as well as increased happiness levels. In plain terms, people who play pickleball tend to feel more content and happy with their lives. Importantly, they also reported lower rates of depression – in other words, playing pickleball was associated with fewer symptoms of depressed mood.
These mental health perks appear particularly strong for older adults, a core demographic in pickleball. Many seniors have flocked to pickleball for its friendly pace and social nature, and the research confirms that older players see significant benefits in terms of mood, social connection, and life satisfaction.
Another key benefit is social integration. Pickleball is typically played as doubles and often in group settings, making it inherently social. The review noted that playing pickleball helps people feel more socially connected and integrated into a community. For older adults who might be at risk of isolation, this social aspect is gold – it fosters friendships and a sense of belonging that can greatly enhance mental well-being. One included study even showed measurable gains in happiness and social satisfaction among seniors who play regularly.
Padel’s Mental Game – Confidence and Competition
Padel’s mental health effects look a bit different. While pickleball research focused on general well-being, padel studies zoomed in on competitive mindset and performance psychology. The review found that padel players who compete at higher levels or win matches tend to report a big confidence boost In essence, succeeding in padel – a fast-paced doubles game – can make players feel more self-assured in their abilities.
Alongside that confidence comes a reduction in somatic anxiety (the physical jitters or butterflies before a game) among those who perform well. So, a club’s top padel players aren’t just improving their backhand; they’re likely gaining mental resilience and feeling less pre-game nervousness as they rack up wins.
However, padel isn’t without stress. Pre-competition anxiety does rise as a match approaches, the review noted, though interestingly padel players were less anxious before matches than tennis players in comparable situations. This could be due to padel’s more social, doubles-oriented gameplay taking some pressure off, but it’s good news: newcomers from a tennis background might find padel competition a bit less nerve-wracking. The anxiety levels also varied by gender and match score – suggesting that context matters (e.g. perhaps tight scorelines or certain competitive settings spike anxiety more, and male vs. female players might experience stress differently). For club operators, being aware of these dynamics can help in how you schedule matches or support players (more on that soon).
Another aspect padel research highlighted is mental fatigue. Padel matches, especially if players play multiple games in succession, can be mentally draining. The review found that as players engage in successive padel games, their mental fatigue increases, which in turn impairs their shot accuracy. In practical terms, a player’s focus and precision might drop in the second or third game of the night due to mental tiredness. Surprisingly, though, the study also noted that this fatigue was linked to elevated motivation – players actually became more motivated even as they tired. It seems the competitive fire in padel can burn strong, with players pushing themselves despite feeling mentally taxed.
Implications for Club Operators
These findings carry several practical implications for clubs and facility managers catering to pickleball and padel players. Here are key takeaways and ideas for applying this knowledge in your programs:
Leverage Pickleball for Senior Well-being: If your club has a significant number of older members (or you want to attract them), pickleball can be a cornerstone of senior programming. Research shows older adults reap strong benefits in happiness, life satisfaction, and social connection from pickleball. Consider organizing pickleball social leagues, round-robin tournaments, or casual play mornings with coffee afterward. Emphasizing the social and fun aspects will enhance the mental health payoff – the more players chat, bond, and laugh on the court, the more integrated and supported they’ll feel.
Market Pickleball as Community Building: Position pickleball not just as exercise, but as a well-being and community activity. For example, you might highlight member testimonials about friendships formed or mood improvements. Given the lower depression and higher life satisfaction linked to playingfrontiersin.org, clubs could even partner with local health organizations or senior centers to promote pickleball for healthy aging and mental wellness.
Support Padel Players’ Mental Game: For padel, especially if you run competitive leagues or tournaments, consider offering resources to help players harness confidence and manage anxiety. Pre-match routines could be introduced – e.g. brief group warm-ups, breathing exercises, or coaching tips – to keep nerves in check (even if padel anxiety is generally lower than tennis). You might invite a sport psychologist or experienced coach to run a workshop on mental resilience and focus tailored for padel players, reinforcing that building self-confidence can improve their game and enjoyment.
Optimize Scheduling to Reduce Fatigue: Knowing that mental fatigue can set in after continuous play and hurt performance, clubs can tweak schedules and formats. For instance, avoid having the same players play many back-to-back matches in a tournament – include short breaks or rotate players to keep minds fresh. In training sessions, coaches can mix intense drills with brief mental breaks. Educate players about mental fatigue: something as simple as a 5-minute time-out to reset focus could make a difference in their accuracy on court. Encouraging players to stay hydrated and take mental breaths between games isn’t just physical advice – it’s backed by the evidence on sustaining cognitive sharpness.
Boost Motivation with Challenges (Carefully): The research hints that players became more motivated even as they got tired, especially when something was at stake. Club operators can tap into this by introducing light-hearted incentives or mini-challenges in padel training – for example, winners stay on court, or a prize for the night’s best rally – to keep motivation high. However, balance is key: ensure such competitive fun doesn’t lead to overtaxing players mentally. The goal is to use motivation to enhance engagement, without pushing people into burnout.
Cross-Pollinate Benefits: Consider how the social strengths of pickleball and the competitive thrills of padel can complement each other in your club. For example, a mixed event that introduces padel players to pickleball or vice versa could allow members to experience the different mental benefits of each. Padel players might enjoy a low-pressure pickleball social night (great for bonding and relaxation), while pickleball regulars might get a kick out of a friendly padel introduction clinic (adding a new skill challenge to boost their confidence). Such crossover events could diversify the club’s appeal and double up on well-being impacts.
Mental Health Benefits of Padel and Pickleball
For racquet sport clubs, the message is clear: both pickleball and padel can play a role in promoting mental well-being, but in distinct ways. Pickleball shines as a social exercise that fosters happiness, satisfaction, and community – a perfect recipe for mental health, especially among older adults. Padel offers its own mental rewards through building competitive confidence and camaraderie on court, though it also demands attention to players’ stress and fatigue levels. Club operators can use these insights to tailor experiences that maximize each sport’s strengths: nurturing the supportive, fun environment around pickleball, and the empowering, skill-building atmosphere in padel.
It’s worth noting that this 2025 review also identified gaps in knowledge – for example, we need more research on padel’s general wellbeing benefits (not just competition) and on pickleball’s performance-related mental aspects, across different age groups. As these sports continue to grow, clubs might find themselves not just implementing best practices but also contributing to the next chapter of research, simply by observing and documenting how their communities thrive. In the meantime, the current evidence is encouraging: whether through a friendly pickleball match or an intense padel game, your members are not only getting fit but also boosting their mental health. By recognizing and reinforcing those benefits, club operators can ensure their facilities are places where well-being is served along with the wins and workouts.
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