Stress

• Obstacle course racing, pickleball, and esports are gaining both participants and fans.
• How do they impact physical and mental health, and what strategies can we employ to maximise their benefits while mitigating potential risks?

Obstacle course racing: conquering challenges

• Obstacle course racing involves participants navigating a series of physical challenges, including climbing, crawling, and jumping over natural and man-made obstacles.
• Some of the key benefits of obstacle course racing are the sense of accomplishment, camaraderie and community it fosters.

Pickleball: A game for all ages

• Pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, is billed as one of the fastest-growing sports globally.
• Pickleball offers substantial health benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, agility and coordination, with a relatively low risk of injuries.

Esports: a virtual phenomenon

• This shift has opened up professional gaming as a new career path young people may aspire to.
• Many universities and colleges are offering certifications and scholarships for esports, recognising it similarly to traditional sports.
• This emphasises the need for education and moderation, and for gamers to balance screen time with physical exercise.

Balancing act: leveraging benefits and addressing risks

• These sports illustrate the growing appetite for varied, accessible recreation that caters to different interests, ages, and abilities, moving beyond traditional sports paradigms.
• And these activities offer substantial social and mental health benefits, fostering community building and enhancing wellbeing through communal participation and achievement.

Carol Maher receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Heart Foundation, the SA Department for Education, Preventive Health SA, the SA Department for Innovation and Skills, Healthway, Hunter New England Local Health District, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, and LeapForward. Ben Singh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.