We have summarized some interesting findings from the Apple study on the health benefits of pickleball and tennis for you here. Images and findings on the health or health promotion of pickleball are therefore from Apple and not from us. The study, or rather the article by Apple is from October 2023.
Incidentally, Apple WatchOS has supported Pickleball since version 7.x (September 2021), i.e. long before Pickleball became more popular in Switzerland.
Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a number of other chronic conditions. Finding an activity that you enjoy participating in can help build a routine, whether you're picking up a paddle or a racket.
Summary of the study
The Apple Heart and Movement Study took a close look at pickleball, one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and gained some fascinating insights. The data was collected and analyzed using the Apple Watch to examine the differences between pickleball and tennis and their impact on health.
Participants who practiced both pickleball and tennis achieved an average peak heart rate of 70 percent of their maximum heart rate during their training sessions. The study also found that pickleball training sessions lasted slightly longer on average than tennis training sessions.
Utah topped the list of states with the most recorded pickleball practice sessions per capita. The research shows that pickleball and tennis are popular among people of all ages, with men tending to play more often than women.
The study emphasized the importance of physical activity for mental health and found that pickleball and tennis players had, on average, lower scores on the depression screening tool than the overall group of participants.
The Apple Heart and Movement Study makes it possible to investigate the effects of activity on various health metrics and to deepen our understanding of physical activity and health.
Apple Watch tips for pickleball players
The Apple Watch offers users a range of ways to stay connected, active, healthy and safe:
- To track pickleball sessions on the Apple Watch, you can go to the Training app "Add workout" and then select "Pickleball". To track workout intensity, users can set their workout view on the Apple Watch to display the heart rate zones. You can view the activity data in the Fitness app on the iPhone or the health data in the Health app on the iPhone or iPad.
- With the new Double tip gesture(Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2), users can, for example, answer and end a call or reply to a message with just one hand while standing in the field.
- To stay focused, you can create a user-defined Focus on your iPhone to specify when you want to receive alerts and notifications on your Apple Watch or let other people know that you are busy. In Settings, select the "Focus" option, tap "Add" and then select "Custom" to customize the options.
- With Apple Pay On the Apple Watch, you can leave your wallet at home and pay directly from your wrist.
- Users can create a AirTag in their pickleball bag and track their location directly on the Apple Watch. In the "Where is?" app, you can choose whether to play a sound or display directions to find the object.