Why this fast-growing sport is an effective workout for both brain and body
Compared to tennis or pickleball, the sport’s smaller courts and longer rallies increase aerobic engagement and decision-making without sharply raising physical strain.
In padel, the ball rarely goes out of play. Enclosed courts keep rallies alive, encouraging steady aerobic movement and continuous decision-making—an interplay that may help explain the sport’s growing appeal to exercise researchers.
“Padel could become the best tool in the 21st century to combat the global pandemic of sedentary lifestyles and reduce alarming levels of physical inactivity,” says Francisco Pradas, a sports science researcher and professor at the University of Zaragoza.
That interest is being fueled by early findings linking padel to mental and physical health benefits, from improved self-confidence to increased BDNF levels, a protein that supports brain health.
“Multiple physical capacities and motor skills are involved during a game of padel, combining different technical, tactical, physical, metabolic, and psychological aspects,” Pradas says. “Its intermittent and aerobic nature makes padel a very attractive sport from a health perspective, as it involves the metabolism of glucose and fats.”
Much of that effect comes down to how padel is designed to be played.
How the rules of padel create health benefits
Studies suggest that playing padel can improve several general fitness markers, including sprint speed, hand grip strength, and spinal stability, by increasing lumbar isometric strength.
Many of those effects stem from the sport’s defining feature: enclosed courts that allow the ball to rebound off side and back walls. By keeping rallies alive, this rule creates a faster pace without increasing physical intensity and strain. Cognitive engagement is high, as players remain in near-constant motion while tracking space, timing, and ball trajectory, which could help explain why padel triggers an increase in BDNF.
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“One of the main characteristics of padel, which distinguishes it from other racquet sports, is that its intensity and physical impact can be easily reduced and controlled due to its playing style,” Pradas says. He adds that this unique dynamic results in lower metabolic impact, “increasing the number of shots per rally and the playing time of a match in a more aerobic manner.” That adaptability makes the sport especially accessible for entry-level players.
Research remains preliminary, particularly related to mental benefits and hormonal responses, including how padel may affect female players across different menstrual phases. Existing studies would also benefit from larger, more diverse sample sizes. Even so, interest continues to grow—among researchers and players alike.
How padel compares to other racquet sports
Compared with tennis, padel emphasizes shorter, reactive movements and sustained aerobic play over repeated sprints and high-impact changes of direction. “The court is smaller, and you’re closer to the other players, so the ball is on you quickly and the exchanges are sharp,” says George Thomas, a former tennis coach now working at UK retailer, Padel HQ.
Despite that pace, padel is generally less physically demanding than tennis, particularly at beginner and intermediate levels. “It’s usually doubles based so there’s less distance to cover, and often less heavy lateral movement, so it can feel a bit kinder on the joints,” adds Thomas.
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Those differences place padel somewhere between high-intensity racquet sports like squash and badminton, and lower-impact games such as pickleball. Squash and badminton are associated with higher average heart rates and frequent anaerobic bursts, driven by repeated lunges, rapid directional changes, and near-continuous play, which can limit how long recreational players are able or willing to sustain them.
Pickleball, by contrast, tends to elicit lower cardiovascular demand and energy expenditure, particularly among younger or more conditioned players. While its slower pace and smaller court make it widely accessible, its physical stimulus appears more limited. Padel’s design, which extends rallies while moderating impact, may help explain why it delivers greater fitness benefits without the physical toll seen in more demanding racquet sports.
Injury data reflect that balance. A systematic review found a rate of three injuries per 1,000 hours of play, with padel appearing to have a higher incidence of elbow injuries than other sports. However, Pradas suggests injuries are typically non-serious, mitigated by proper warm-ups and cool-downs and by choosing adequate equipment.
The biggest barrier to consider
From a health perspective, padel may be particularly well suited to people returning to exercise or seeking moderate, sustainable activity. Its controllable intensity and doubles-based format allow players to adjust effort without leaving play entirely.
At the same time, experts note that the sport’s repetitive stroke patterns can place strain on the elbow and forearm, especially for beginners using improper technique—highlighting the importance of gradual progression and coaching.
Even when injury risk is managed, access remains another barrier. Padel may be good for your health, but court costs—often upward of $35 per session in the U.S.—can put the sport out of reach for many players, says Brittany Dubins, the first U.S. padel player to win a CUPRA FIP Tour tournament.
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According to a 2025 Global Padel Report, nine new padel clubs now open each day worldwide, and in the U.S., about 30 percent of padel courts share facilities with pickleball. Still, Dubins says availability varies widely by location.
“While it’s extremely popular all over Spain, in the U.S. it depends on which city you are in. Miami, NYC, San Diego, Austin have courts,” she says. ”But, other places still confuse it with padel tennis, pickle, or simply haven’t heard of it yet.”
