Padel · Health · Educational leave
Padel and health: why the racket sport is linked to a longer life – and how it fits educational leave
5 min read
In Germany, padel has gone from a niche sport to the fastest-growing racket sport. It is not only about fun: doubles play combines interval load, coordination and social interaction – exactly the mix that long-term studies associate with longer life expectancy. This article puts the evidence in honest context and explains how Auszeit Gran Canaria pairs padel with yoga in a seminar designed for German educational leave.
Why padel is booming in Germany
In early 2023 the German Tennis Federation counted about 130 padel courts nationwide. By September 2026, court databases list more than 2,000 courts at roughly 600 venues – a multiple in three and a half years. The barrier to entry is low: the court is smaller than a tennis court, the serve is underarm and the glass walls keep the ball in play. People who have never held a racket are rallying within an hour.
The format is what matters: padel is almost always played as doubles. Four people, one court, many short rallies. That makes it sociable – and this is precisely what makes it interesting from a health perspective.
What padel does in the body
Sports-science reviews describe padel as intermittent, mostly aerobic exercise: short sprints, changes of direction and strokes alternate with rest. Mean heart rate during play sits at roughly 70 to 85 percent of maximum depending on level, while lactate stays low. In plain terms: moderate-to-vigorous endurance training with built-in recovery – that does not feel like training.
Add reaction speed, hand-eye coordination and constant decisions under time pressure. The WHO recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity per week for adults; two or three padel sessions already cover that. Part of the effect is simply that people keep playing because they have made a date with others.
Racket sports and life expectancy: what the studies actually show
The Copenhagen City Heart Study followed about 8,600 people for up to 25 years. Compared with sedentary participants, tennis players lived on average 9.7 years longer, badminton players 6.2 years, footballers 4.7 years and joggers 3.2 years. A British analysis of more than 80,000 adults found racket sports associated with a 47 percent lower risk of death from any cause and a 56 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death – the strongest effect of all sports studied.
Two honest caveats: both are observational studies. They show associations, not causes; people who play tennis are on average also wealthier and healthier. And padel itself was not recorded in these cohorts – the sport is too young. Its load profile (intervals, coordination, doubles format) is so similar to tennis and badminton, however, that sports physicians consider the results plausibly transferable. The authors themselves suspect the social component explains part of the gap to solo sports.
The social factor: why doubles beats the treadmill
In the Copenhagen study, health-club activities came last with 1.5 years – although they are physically comparable. The difference probably lies in the company: appointments increase regularity, play lowers perceived effort, and social connectedness is a health factor in its own right. Meta-analyses rank loneliness as a risk factor on a par with smoking or obesity.
For employees this point matters twice: doubles players communicate constantly – calls, responsibilities, mistakes without blame. Exactly these patterns can be reflected on in the seminar and transferred to teamwork.
Honest about the risks: injuries and preparation
Padel is considered easier on the joints than tennis – shorter distances, less overhead load on serve. It is not injury-free, though. Typical complaints are elbow and shoulder irritation, calf and thigh strains, and ankle sprains from quick changes of direction. Most affect beginners who step on court without warming up and with limited hip and thoracic mobility.
This is where combining it with yoga comes in: mobility for hips, shoulders and thoracic spine, core stability, deliberate breathing between points. Anyone with cardiovascular disease, recent injuries or joint problems should seek medical advice before taking part – as with any sports seminar.
Padel on educational leave: how the Gran Canaria seminar is structured
Padel on its own is not educational leave. What can be recognised is a seminar with published learning objectives, at least eight 45-minute teaching units per day and qualified leadership. "Workplace resilience with yoga and padel" is built exactly that way: morning yoga for mobility and recovery, a seminar block on stress physiology and load management, afternoon padel coaching with a professional coach in Las Palmas. Five working days, a maximum of ten participants, no prior experience required.
The recognition status is always shown up to date on this page – we do not advertise any seminar as recognised until a decision exists. Until then, employees attend as a private seminar during annual leave or ask their employer for voluntary release; an employer PDF and a sample letter are available.
Sources and evidence
Observational studies show associations, not causes. Where results come from randomised trials or meta-analyses, this is stated.
Observational study, 8,577 people, up to 25 years of follow-up: tennis +9.7 years, badminton +6.2 years of life expectancy versus sedentary; health club +1.5 years.
Source: Schnohr P. et al. (2018), Mayo Clinic Proceedings 93(12): Copenhagen City Heart StudyPooled English and Scottish cohorts, more than 80,000 adults: racket sports associated with 47% lower all-cause and 56% lower cardiovascular mortality.
Source: Oja P. et al. (2017), British Journal of Sports Medicine 51(10)Systematic review of padel match play: intermittent, predominantly aerobic load, moderate heart-rate response, low anaerobic-glycolytic contribution.
Source: Mellado-Arbelo O., Baiget E. (2022), Kinesiology 54(1): Activity profile and physiological demand of padel match playWHO guideline: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity per week for adults, plus strengthening on two days.
Source: WHO (2020), Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviourGerman court database: from 130 courts (February 2023, federation figure) to more than 2,000 courts at about 600 venues in September 2026.
Source: Padelfinder.de, Statistik (Stand September 2026)
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need prior padel experience?
- No. Coaching is designed for beginners; rackets and balls are provided by the padel school. Existing players continue in their own group with technical and tactical work.
- Is padel easier on the joints than tennis?
- Generally yes: smaller court, underarm serve, fewer overhead strokes. Quick changes of direction do load calves, Achilles tendons and ankles, though. Warming up and mobility – covered in the seminar by morning yoga – lower the risk considerably.
- Does a padel seminar count as educational leave?
- Only with a recognition decision from the relevant federal state for this specific seminar. The current status is shown further up this page. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Gran Canaria is generally not eligible because of the 500 km rule; Bavaria and Saxony have no educational-leave law.
- How fit do I need to be?
- Everyday fitness is enough. Load is dosed in groups and breaks are part of the game. If you have cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, recent injuries or are pregnant, talk to your doctor first.
The content on this page is for general information and does not replace medical advice. If you have an existing condition, please check new sporting activities with your doctor first.