Playing tennis can boost estimated life expectancy by nearly a decade compared to a sedentary lifestyle, according to long-term data examined in medical research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The investigation, which tracked 8,577 participants from the Copenhagen City Heart Study in Denmark for up to 25 years, evaluated how various competitive sports and leisure activities correlate with human longevity.
When adjusting for variables such as age, sex, smoking habits, income levels, and exercise duration, researchers found distinct disparities in longevity outcomes across different disciplines. Tennis players showed an estimated life expectancy increase of 9.7 years over non-exercising individuals. Badminton players followed with an estimated gain of 6.2 years, while football players recorded an increase of 4.7 years. Cycling, swimming, and running registered gains of 3.7 years, 3.4 years, and 3.2 years respectively, according to the statistical correlation outlined in the data.
Researchers emphasize that these figures represent statistical correlations rather than a direct guarantee that picking up a racket automatically lengthens an individual’s life. The authors of the study point to two primary factors driving these differences: intense, short bursts of comprehensive physical exertion and the inherent social interaction that occurs when playing games with others.
Physiological Adaptations Measured in Controlled Trials
Controlled experiments have sought to isolate the physiological mechanisms behind these benefits. A study led by Stephen Patterson and published in the Journal of Sports Sciences evaluated 36 sedentary women divided into badminton players, runners, and a control group over an eight-week period. The research team recorded a 16% increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) among the badminton group, compared to a 14% rise in the running cohort.
Both active groups experienced lower resting heart rates and reduced blood pressure, alongside a 19% extension in time-to-exhaustion testing. While this specific trial did not measure long-term lifespan, the findings demonstrate that racquet sports deliver measurable improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and vascular health.
Mortality Risk Reductions and Social Cohesion Factors
These findings align with a 2022 JAMA Network Open study tracking 272,550 American adults aged 59 to 82. That investigation revealed that participants engaging in racquet sports and running faced a 16% and 15% lower all-cause mortality risk, respectively, than non-participants engaging in comparable volumes of other physical activities.
The research shows that selecting an activity an individual enjoys and can sustain over time outweighs the pursuit of any single statistical trend.
