Enhancing Cancer Survivorship With Pickleball

NCT ID: NCT06048822

Last Updated: 2025-12-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 28 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-09-11
• Study Completion Date: 2026-03-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a pickleball program for cancer survivors and their family members or friends. The program is designed to increase physical activity, improve wellness, and allow individuals to work together to learn and practice the sport.

Conditions

Cancer

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Cancer Survivors

Participation will last approximately 4-6 months. Participants will be encouraged to attend Pickleball sessions at the YMCA at least twice a week. Each session will last 2 hours, and participants will be encouraged to attend at least one hour. Participants will receive a Fitbit to wear continuously 24/7 over 4-6 months to track steps and activity intensity. Participants will also be asked to wear an electronic device (accelerometer) over their right hip during specific time points throughout the study to better understand how pickleball participation contributes to physical activity levels.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Pickleball

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be encouraged to attend ≥2 pickleball sessions per week, with the YMCA offering 5 sessions per week. Sessions will last 2 hours, with participants encouraged to attend ≥1 hour. New players will receive instruction from a YMCA exercise trainer with a USA Pickleball Association Instructor Certification during sessions. At the end of each session, the YMCA trainer will note on attendance sheets whether participants engaged in training/skill development, open play, or both. Participants will be encouraged to engage in 5-10 minutes of structured warm-up exercise (i.e., walking laps around the courts and dynamic and static muscle stretches) prior to playing in each session, and they will be encouraged to perform cool-down stretches after they complete each session.

Family or Friend of Cancer Survivors

Participation will last approximately 4-6 months. Participants will be encouraged to attend Pickleball sessions at the YMCA at least twice a week. Each session will last 2 hours, and participants will be encouraged to attend at least one hour. Participants will receive a Fitbit to wear continuously 24/7 over 4-6 months to track steps and activity intensity. Participants will also be asked to wear an electronic device (accelerometer) over their right hip during specific time points throughout the study to better understand how pickleball participation contributes to physical activity levels.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Pickleball

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be encouraged to attend ≥2 pickleball sessions per week, with the YMCA offering 5 sessions per week. Sessions will last 2 hours, with participants encouraged to attend ≥1 hour. New players will receive instruction from a YMCA exercise trainer with a USA Pickleball Association Instructor Certification during sessions. At the end of each session, the YMCA trainer will note on attendance sheets whether participants engaged in training/skill development, open play, or both. Participants will be encouraged to engage in 5-10 minutes of structured warm-up exercise (i.e., walking laps around the courts and dynamic and static muscle stretches) prior to playing in each session, and they will be encouraged to perform cool-down stretches after they complete each session.

Interventions

Pickleball

Participants will be encouraged to attend ≥2 pickleball sessions per week, with the YMCA offering 5 sessions per week. Sessions will last 2 hours, with participants encouraged to attend ≥1 hour. New players will receive instruction from a YMCA exercise trainer with a USA Pickleball Association Instructor Certification during sessions. At the end of each session, the YMCA trainer will note on attendance sheets whether participants engaged in training/skill development, open play, or both. Participants will be encouraged to engage in 5-10 minutes of structured warm-up exercise (i.e., walking laps around the courts and dynamic and static muscle stretches) prior to playing in each session, and they will be encouraged to perform cool-down stretches after they complete each session.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age > 18 years
• History of a cancer diagnosis excluding squamous and basal cell skin cancers
• Able to speak and read English
• Able to provide informed consent
• Able to pass a 2023 Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire+ (PAR-Q+) (with appropriate physician clearance(s), as necessary)
• History of cancer diagnosis will be required for cancer survivor group; friend or family partners can be (but do not need to be) cancer survivors.

Exclusion Criteria

• Screen failure for exercise safety based on 2023 PAR-Q+
• For cancer survivor group, history of squamous and basal cell skin cancers

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Nathan Parker, PhD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Moffitt Cancer Center

Locations

Moffitt Cancer Center

Tampa, Florida, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

MCC-22455

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id