Pickleball: The Perfect After-Work Activity for Physicians
Shot a Flapjack? Hit a Bert and Erne? Spent too much time in the Kitchen? If so, you’re most likely one of the roughly 50 million adult Americans who’ve tried the country’s fastest-growing sport.
We’re talking about pickleball, of course. Although this game that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong was created back in 1965, these days it has experienced an almost cult-like following.
A low-impact activity compared to its tennis counterpart, pickleball offers a host of benefits — both physical and mental — for individuals of all ages, including physicians and other healthcare professionals.
- 1 Fun Physical Activity
Want to burn calories, maintain a higher heart rate and amplify endurance — all while having fun? Not only is pickleball less stressful on the knees, hips and ankles than high-impact sports, but also there’s research that indicates that this competitive game can improve movement and increase muscle strength.
- 2 Added Balance and Coordination
Fancy footwork? Check. Though you don’t have to be a Fred Astaire clone to play pickleball, the skills necessary for this game promote flexibility and range of motion. And, the lateral movements enable players to build strength while building stability.
- 3 Mood-Boosting
You know those endorphins that assist in relieving pain, reducing stress and elevating a person’s sense of well-being? Playing pickleball helps stimulate an individual’s brain while releasing endorphins. Also, by utilizing an individual’s short-term memory to keep up with the rules and strategies of the game, participating in the sport boosts overall cognition and exercises mental agility.
- 4 A Social Situation
Pickleball isn’t just a sport — it’s a social activity in which you can participate with family, friends and colleagues. It’s also a great way to meet new friends and spend time with those you might not see too often otherwise.
- 5 Possible Weight Loss
Playing pickleball burns on average eight to 11 calories per minute. That means you can burn anywhere from 480 to 660 calories in one 60-minute game. Plus, you’ll be having fun, so it won’t seem like exercise.
How You and Your Practice Can Make Time for Pickleball
Overall, doctors spend 15.5 hours per week on paperwork and administration. That doesn’t leave much time for after-hours activities, let alone sports.
Employing the services of a virtual scribe for doctors enables physicians like you to get home earlier so you have more time for personal activities, whether that’s participating in a game of pickleball or attending your child’s after-school activities.
This scenario might sound too simple, but remote scribe services can make a marked difference in how late you have to stay at the office. That’s because a dedicated scribe partners with you in the exam room to ensure patient records are securely and accurately updated in real-time. Less documentation right off the bat — or in this case, the paddle.
Just like pickleball has rules to learn, career scribes are trained in medical terminology, patient-physician interaction, EMR and charting. By utilizing voice, video, secure messaging and screen-sharing capabilities, they ensure clear and clear communication, a must-have in any team sport.
Pickleball, like most sports, requires focus, and remote scribe services allow you to spend more time with those at the center of your practice: your patients. A bonus? Fewer post-appointment tasks and no more end-of-day loose ends.
Contact us today to learn how our scribes team with you to finish post-visit assistance, follow-up tasks, offline documentation and timely chart completion, allowing you to head home earlier.
