Pickleball’s global rise is increasingly extending beyond professional tournaments and recreational clubs, with the sport now becoming part of rehabilitation and inclusive education programs across Europe.
In Barcelona, a new initiative involving Guttmann Neurorehabilitation Hospital and the FC Barcelona Foundation is using pickleball to help children and teenagers with physical disabilities remain active and socially included during rehabilitation.
Among the participants is 15-year-old Cocó, a secondary school student living with mobility difficulties in one leg following a spinal stroke.
Because she cannot always run or jump like her classmates, some physical education activities at school require adaptation. But through pickleball, she has found a way to continue participating alongside others.
“It’s important not to be left out and to be able to play,” Coco said.
The project aims to introduce inclusive pickleball into schools attended by children currently undergoing rehabilitation at the hospital.
Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, badminton, padel and table tennis, was originally created in the United States in 1965 and has increasingly gained attention globally because of its accessibility and ease of participation across different age groups and physical abilities.
The sport can be played in singles, doubles, mixed or adapted wheelchair formats, making it particularly suitable for inclusive programs.
According to organizers, around 50 million people now play pickleball in the United States, while Spain had approximately 20,000 players in 2023 as the sport continues expanding rapidly across Europe.
Ten children between the ages of eight and 15 participated in the first phase of the Barcelona-based programme.
The rehabilitation process began with motor, cognitive and perceptual assessments using interactive technology before participants started learning pickleball during their treatment schedules under the guidance of specialists and coaches.
“This way, we can assess the participants’ physical and motor skills and, if appropriate, guide and support them so they can continue playing the sport beyond the clinical setting,” explained Cristina de Puig, a physical education teacher at Guttmann.
The project has also extended directly into schools.
Specialists from the hospital conducted sessions involving both the participating child and their classmates in an effort to integrate inclusive pickleball into regular school environments.
Jordi Finestres, a specialist in inclusive physical activity programs, stressed the importance of adapting the sport to different student needs.
“It’s essential to keep in mind that each group of students is different, and therefore adaptations, game variations and any changes to the rules must be tailored to the characteristics of the individuals in each group,” Finestres said.
“This flexibility and adaptability are key to making pickleball truly inclusive and turning differences into an opportunity for shared learning.”
Organizers also highlighted the role played by families in helping ensure continuity between rehabilitation, school participation and everyday life.
The initiative is supported through the FC Barcelona Foundation’s Pulseras Blaugranas programme, which focuses on improving emotional well-being and promoting innovative therapies for children and adolescents with serious illnesses or disabilities.
As pickleball continues expanding globally, projects such as the one in Barcelona are increasingly showing how the sport’s accessibility may allow it to play a much larger role beyond competition, particularly within rehabilitation, education and inclusive community programs.
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