THE OFFICIAL HOME OF
NORTH PLATTE PICKLEBALL
Wellness Initiative
Can Pickleball Help you Live Longer?
Ernie Medina, Jr.
DrPH, ACSM-CEP, NBC-HWC
USA Pickleball Ambassador Board at Large: Health & Wellness, Recreational & Training Loma Linda, CA
"My professional career has been based on preventative healthcare... helping people change their lifestyles, adopt healthier lifestyles, to treat some of our top 10 killers which are connected to our lifestyle behaviors -- smoking, what we eat, and lack of physical activity are the TOP 3 behaviors connected with our major killers (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke). I've spent over 21 years in a medical group and 6 years back in academia working in this field. I wish I had known about pickleball back then, because I see pickleball as one of the greatest public health interventions we can do for all people.
And now, in light of the pendemic, I see pickleball as the 'perfect pandemic panacea' because of all the benefits pickleball brings!"
"If we could put all the benefits of pickleball in a pill, it would be one of the top prescribed drugs in the world"
- Ernie Medina Jr.
Ernie's 79 year old mother introduces him to pickleball, still practicing physican at 82 years old!
"Playing pickleball allows you to work on your balance, agility, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination without putting excessive strains on your body."
- Bill Roehrs, USA Pickleball District Ambassador- Nebraska
Harvard Medical School's Dr. John Ratey, one of the leading researchers on exercise and brain health, talks about the 5 criteria that make an exercise the best type for brain health... and pickleball forces you to use your brain, gets your heart rate up, you socialize and interact with others, usually participate outside with nature and you will keep coming back to play this "healthy addiction".
Spectrum Health/Health Beat Staff reports ..... "Pickleball is played by all ages and not only has the fun factor, but has many health benefits that go along with the sport. Playing pickleball burns calories and the player will have fewer injuries due to the low impact of the game. You will also reap the benefits of reducing your risk of heart attack and chronic disease while toning your muscles and increasing your energy."
Kent Lindeman, Executive Director of the Association for Applied Sports Psychology writes in Pickleball Magazine, "pickleball is proven to improve mood, reduce depression and boost self-esteem. It also encourages good communication, team building and leadership skills as well as social interaction - all essential for maintaining positive mental health. Pickleball attracts people of all types and walks of life to both recreation and tournament play. Meeting new friends and competitors is always beneficial to your mental health."
We all know that feeling of jumping straight into a game and then struggling to find our rhythm
or, even worse, feeling a tweak in our muscles. So, how long should your warm-up last to ensure you’re playing your best and staying injury free?
