The powerful play of pickleball

Rapidly becoming a racquet sport favorite, pickleball serves up various physical, mental, and social benefits.

You keep hearing that older adults need to stay active physically, mentally, and socially. But what if you could do all three at once? You can if you play the racquet sport pickleball, one of the country's fastest-growing forms of recreation.

"In many ways, pickleball is the ideal activity for older adults," says Timothy Rivotto, a physical therapist and tennis coach with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. "It can accommodate people with different fitness levels and still offer a good aerobic workout. Pickleball also requires using key brain skills and is an exciting way to interact with others."