A Single Session Of Beach Tennis Improves Anxious Symptoms In Healthy Women But Not In Healthy Men Recreational Players: A Within-trial Randomized Clinical Trial

Beach tennis has become an increasingly popular sport, but scientific research on its mental health benefits—particularly in managing anxiety—is scarce. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have examined the effects of beach tennis on anxiety symptoms. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the acute effect of a single session of beach tennis, in both singles and doubles modes, on anxiety symptoms. METHODS: Twenty-two recreational beach tennis players (11 women and 11 men) were evaluated. This study used a randomized crossover clinical trial conducted across four sessions, with intervals of 24-72 h between sessions. In the first session, participants completed an anamnesis to screen for contraindications to physical activity, followed by anthropometric, anxiety trait, and cardiorespiratory fitness assessments. Participants were randomized at the end of this session using web-based software to determine the intervention sequence (control, single session, and double session) for the subsequent sessions. The interventions sessions 2, 3, and 4 consisted of beach tennis sessions conducted under three conditions: (a) single session: one-on-one matches, (b) double session: two-on-two matches, and (c) control session: non-exercise. State anxiety symptoms and affective responses were measured before and after each intervention. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Goiás and registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (registration code: U1111-1293-7949). RESULTS: For men, no significant interaction between time and session was found (p = 0.646). In women, there was a statistically significant interaction between time and session (p = 0.002). Anxiety symptoms significantly decreased in the pre- to post-singles condition (p = 0.007) and pre- to post-doubles condition (p = 0.010). Additionally, a significant difference was observed between the post-singles and post-control conditions (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The beach tennis sessions had an anxiolytic effect in women but not in men. Beach tennis may thus serve as a practical intervention for managing anxiety symptoms in women. Supported by: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás (Brazil), Coordenação de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (Brazil), and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brazil)