Padel, pickleball and wellbeing: a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Mental Health Research
• Psychology of Physical Activity

Background:

• Physical activity is known to benefit mental health.
• Emerging sports like padel and pickleball are rapidly growing in popularity.
• Their specific impacts on mental health and wellbeing remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the association between padel and pickleball participation and mental health, wellbeing, and mental fatigue.
• To identify current research trends and gaps in understanding these relationships.

Main Methods:

• A systematic electronic search of Medline, PsycINFO, and Embase databases was conducted.
• Quantitative and observational studies published up to October 8, 2024, were included.
• A total of 14 studies involving 1,403 participants were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Pickleball participation is linked to enhanced wellbeing, life satisfaction, happiness, and social integration, especially among older adults.
• Padel players show increased self-confidence and reduced somatic anxiety, though pre-competition anxiety can rise.
• Mental fatigue in padel correlates with decreased accuracy and increased motivation.

Conclusions:

• Research on padel and pickleball's mental health effects is expanding, with distinct findings for each sport.
• Padel research focuses on performance-related aspects (anxiety, fatigue), while pickleball research emphasizes wellbeing outcomes.
• Further research is needed to explore wellbeing in padel and performance-related mental health in pickleball across diverse age groups.