How Pickleball Helps Manage Arthritis

Arthritis patients often have days when they do not even want to move at all, let alone try to get out and deal with some kind of high impact workout to keep their joints strong and flexible. However, activity is important or they can get stiff, increasing inflammation and pain. Many individuals, including those with painful joint troubles, are finding joy in a sport called pickleball. A blend of tennis, ping-pong, badminton, and a hint of wiffleball, pickleball provides a great activity that requires movement that can help arthritis patients get and stay in shape. 

Eases Joint Pain

Many individuals have heard exercise can reduce pain in certain conditions. The same is true for the joint pain from arthritis. However, many high-intensity exercises, such as running, are not the best choice for individuals who suffer from the pain and stiffness of arthritis and similar conditions. Pickleball, however, provides individuals with a great way to increase the release of endorphins, the feel-good chemicals produced by the brain, to help shift how their body responds to pain signals. 

The chemicals released during exercise can also help individuals sleep better, which in turn will help them manage pain better. Additionally, the walking or gentle bouncing movements and swinging of the arms during pickleball requires players to move their joints. Using joints helps the lubricating synovial fluid in the joints keep moving, which eases joint pain both when arthritis is present and when it is not.