Friday, Jul 24, 2026 The claims desk. Receipts included. POWERED BY LENZ
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HEALTH

The Claim

People who play racket sports live longer than people who do not play racket sports.

The Short Version

Large cohort studies and meta-analyses consistently find that people who play racket sports have lower mortality and often longer estimated life expectancy than non-players. However, the evidence is observational, not experimental, so it cannot prove that racket sports themselves are the reason. The statement is broadly accurate as an observed pattern, but it slightly overstates certainty if read as cause and effect.

Caveats

  • The main studies show association, not proof that taking up racket sports will itself extend life.
  • Racket-sport participants may differ from non-participants in income, baseline health, fitness, and social connectedness, which can affect longevity.
  • Reported benefits vary by study design and comparison group, and some analyses estimate mortality risk rather than directly measuring added years of life.

The Receipts

  1. Association of Leisure Time Physical Activity Types and Risks of All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality Among Older Adults

    JAMA Network Open (via PubMed Central)

  2. Association of specific types of physical activity with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a cohort study of 80 306 adults

    The BMJ

  3. Association of specific types of sports and exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular-disease mortality: a cohort study of 80 306 British adults

    British Journal of Sports Medicine

  4. Association of specific types of sports and exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular-disease mortality: a cohort study of 80 306 British adults

    PubMed

  5. Associations of specific types of sports and exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular-disease mortality: a cohort study of 80,306 British adults

    British Journal of Sports Medicine (PDF hosted by EFSMA)

  6. Many Leisure Time Activities May Lower Risk of Death

    National Cancer Institute (NCI) - Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics

  7. Long-term Tennis Participation and Health Outcomes

    National Institutes of Health / PLOS ONE (via PubMed Central)

  8. Associations of specific types of sports and exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular-disease mortality: a cohort study of 80 306 British adults

    PubMed

  9. Association of Sports With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in a Large Cohort: A 25-Year Follow-up Study

    Mayo Clinic Proceedings

  10. Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity Types With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality

    Mayo Clinic Proceedings

+ 24 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

Racket Sports