Care Center. Specializing in sports medicine, he is
author of “The First Step in Quality Foot Care.”
“Since I have been involved with Podiatric Sports
Medicine for many years and have treated and seen
many racket sport players, one day the local USAPA
ambassador came in as a patient and told me about this
new sport called pickleball, and it has been a passion of
mine ever since,” said Rosenthal, who lives and practices
in Ridgefield, Connecticut. “People love pickleball
because it offers inclusivity—beginners of all ages are
welcome, and it’s easier on the joints, legs and feet. It
also lowers the risk of heart disease and depression, and
due to its social aspect, helps deal with loneliness.”
It is the socialization of the sport that quickly draws
people in and gets them hooked. While pickleball does
provide a competitive outlet for those seeking it, it is the
social aspect that offers a somewhat addictive quality to
the sport.
Barb Elgin, MSW, LCSW-C, is a psychotherapist and
life coach in the Baltimore, Maryland, area and her
love of pickleball started seven years ago when she
first picked up a paddle while living in a 55-plus active
adult retirement community near The Villages, Florida.
After relocating back to the Mid-Atlantic in 2015, she
quickly found the Baltimore pickleball community,
became a USAPA Ambassador and started Charm City
Pickleball. “As we age, it is often more difficult making
and/or maintaining social connections. People move/go
south, we retire and don’t see our co-workers anymore.
Spouses pass. Our kids grow up and are busy raising
their own families. So pickleball provides, for many, a
place to make new connections and even sometimes new
friends. And in this case, friendships with people they
share an avid hobby or passion with, which usually adds
to how good it feels,” said Elgin.
As people continue to mature and our society’s
median age increases, exercise remains an integral
part in a person’s overall health regimen. But regular
exercise or the lack thereof is a major concern for health
professionals. “Resistance to regular exercise is a huge
issue for most adults. Most American adults do not get
enough regular exercise,” explained Elgin. “For me,
and I think for many others, one of the biggest draws to
pickleball is that it IS addictive (something you want to
continue experiencing) and doesn’t feel like exercise.
I was a gym rat years ago but could never be now.
Pickleball is so much fun it doesn’t feel like ‘exercise.’”
As many tennis enthusiasts make the transition over
to pickleball, they soon realize that court coverage is
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