Published on: 26-Feb-2026
As sports medicine physicians, we often preach the benefits of staying active—but what if the type of activity you choose could significantly impact how long you live? A recent analysis suggests just that, showing that certain sports are associated with markedly greater life expectancy compared with being sedentary or even engaging in other types of physical activity.
The Copenhagen City Heart Study is a large, long-term observational cohort that followed over 8,500 adults for up to 25 years, tracking their leisure-time sports participation and all-cause mortality. Researchers looked at a variety of activities—from cycling and swimming to jogging and health-club workouts—and compared life expectancy across the different groups.
Tennis Leads the Pack
Among all the sports analyzed, tennis stood out as the top activity linked with longevity. Participants who reported playing tennis had a multivariable-adjusted life expectancy gain of approximately 9.7 years compared with those who were sedentary. That’s nearly a decade of additional life associated with regularly playing tennis over time.
Other sports also showed meaningful benefits:
- Badminton: ~6.2 years longer life expectancy
- Soccer: ~4.7 years
- Cycling: ~3.7 years
- Swimming: ~3.4 years
- Jogging: ~3.2 years
- Health club activities (e.g., gym workouts): ~1.5 years
(all compared with sedentary individuals)
Why Is Tennis Be So Powerful?
While the study didn’t pinpoint exactly why tennis was associated with such a large longevity benefit, there are a few plausible reasons:
Full-body physical demand: Tennis combines aerobic endurance with bursts of high-intensity effort, enhancing cardiovascular fitness, strength, balance, and coordination.
Social engagement: Tennis is inherently social—played with partners or in groups—and social interaction itself has been linked with better long-term health outcomes.
Lifelong accessibility: Unlike some high-impact activities, tennis can be enjoyed across the lifespan, from youth well into older age.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to remember that the Copenhagen City Heart Study is observational, which means it shows strong associations, not direct causation. People who choose to play tennis regularly might also have other healthy lifestyle habits that contribute to longevity. However, even after adjusting for many potential confounders, the results are striking and clinically relevant.
For patients seeking not just physical benefits but a potential boost in longevity, tennis may be one of the most effective sports to play—combining cardiovascular fitness, strength, strategy, and social connection in a way few other activities do. And whether you’re a seasoned player or just grabbing a racket for the first time, this evidence adds another reason to keep moving and playing.
Reference
Schnohr P, O’Keefe JH, Lavie CJ, et al. Various leisure-time physical activities associated with widely divergent life expectancies: The Copenhagen City Heart Study. Mayo Clin Proc. 2018;93(12):1775-1785.
The post Serve Up a Longer Life: Tennis & Longevity appeared first on Sports Medicine Weekly By Dr. Brian Cole.