Table tennis is often described as a sport for all ages and abilities. At Stonehaven Table Tennis Club (STTC), that principle has been put into practice through a weekly session specifically designed to support people living with Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis (MS) and similar neurological conditions.

What began as a small experiment in 2022 has grown into a friendly, inclusive group where physical activity, social connection and enjoyment all come together around the table.

Stonehaven Table Tennis Club established its Parkinson’s Table Tennis Group in September 2022, following discussions with Gary Laing, the Aberdeen Branch Parkinson’s UK coordinator and an Evergreens player at ASV.

Gary introduced the club to the potential benefits of table tennis for people with Parkinson’s, drawing on his own experience. Following a meeting involving other sports clubs and Parkinson’s UK, STTC decided to establish a group of its own and successfully applied for funding through Aberdeen Voluntary Action.

The first session in September 2022 began with just one Parkinson’s player as a trial. The group gradually grew through friends and acquaintances with Parkinson’s and similar conditions. STTC subsequently met the requirements to become listed by Parkinson’s UK as an approved physical activity provider.

In 2024, the Parkinson’s class was extended to include people with MS and similar conditions, creating the inclusive Disability Table Tennis session that operates today.

There are currently 12 people registered with the group, with typically six to eight players attending each week. Attendance naturally varies according to people’s availability and, importantly, how they are feeling on the day.

Table tennis combines physical movement with concentration, visual tracking, decision-making and rapid responses. Players need to watch the ball, judge its speed and direction, coordinate their movements and react to what their opponent does next.

For people with neurological conditions, this combination can make table tennis an enjoyable way of being physically and mentally active.

Research into table tennis and Parkinson’s disease is still developing, but studies have reported encouraging results. A pilot study found that table tennis training was feasible and safe for people with Parkinson’s and suggested potential benefits for balance, wellbeing and physical activity. Another six-month study reported improvements in motor symptoms and activities of daily living. More recent research continues to explore possible benefits for motor function, balance and cognitive performance. (PubMed Central: Study 1, Study 2, Study 3)

Parkinson’s UK has also highlighted the way table tennis can involve hand-eye coordination, rapid reactions, balance and decision-making — all within a sport that can be enjoyable and socially engaging.

Read Parkinson’s UK’s article about the benefits of table tennis for people with Parkinson’s

For people with MS, staying active can help with mobility, muscle strength, mood and some MS symptoms. The MS Society notes that exercise can also help people manage fatigue and difficulties with balance and walking, although the most appropriate activity varies from person to person. (Multiple Sclerosis Society UK: Article 1, Article 2)

That flexibility is one of the strengths of STTC’s approach. Table tennis does not have to look exactly the same for every player. The activity can be adapted to an individual’s ability, energy levels and mobility.

The Stonehaven sessions demonstrate how relatively simple adaptations can make a significant difference.

Players can use seating and perches when they need to rest, while equipment such as mobile ball baskets and large quantities of balls makes it easier to keep the session moving without unnecessary bending or walking. Even simple fishing nets can be used to collect balls.

These adaptations aren’t about separating players according to ability. Instead, they allow everyone to take part together.

As Alex, one of the group’s players who has MS, explains:

“Table tennis is an excellent sport for all ages and abilities. It is very good for hand-eye coordination, reaction and balance.”

Alex also highlights the importance of the inclusive atmosphere, with adaptations being used where necessary while everyone continues to mix and play together.

“No matter what one’s ability, age or limitation, one can set oneself an appropriate challenge.”

The health benefits of an activity are not limited to what happens during exercise. For many people, joining a regular group can provide an important opportunity to meet others, build friendships and have something enjoyable to look forward to each week.

That is certainly the experience of Sheila, who joined the Stonehaven group after having had little previous experience of table tennis.

“I never thought that I would be able to be involved in a table tennis group and had never really played much before my disability.”

Sheila says that attending has brought both health and friendship benefits and that she looks forward to Wednesdays whenever she is able to attend.

She particularly values the way the session is structured to allow players to participate at their own pace, with plenty of seating available for rest periods. The group normally begins with a round-robin singles format before progressing to doubles.

“I always come away feeling that it was totally worthwhile.”

For people living with a long-term condition, having a welcoming activity where there is no pressure to perform at a particular level can be just as important as the exercise itself.

The specialised session takes place every Wednesday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

Sessions are deliberately kept relatively small, helping players to get to know each other and giving everyone opportunities to play. Depending on individual needs, players can take part standing or seated, use adaptations where appropriate, take rests when needed and set their own level of challenge.

The emphasis is on participation rather than competition.

The club’s approach also recognises that neurological conditions can fluctuate. Someone may feel capable of doing more one week and need more breaks the next. Attendance is therefore flexible, with the group typically seeing six to eight players each week from its 12 registered members.

There is a summer break from early July until the end of August, with sessions resuming in September.

Although no formal qualification is legally required simply to run this type of session, appropriate knowledge and preparation are important.

Organisers and coaches should have a good understanding of the conditions affecting participants and should have appropriate first-aid training, particularly when working alone. Disability Sport Training courses can provide a useful grounding in delivering inclusive sporting activities.

For STTC, coach Dave Lomax undertook the relevant training. Parkinson’s UK required its activity provider training before the club could be listed on its national website as an approved physical activity provider for people with Parkinson’s.

That training also helped give NHS physiotherapists and Parkinson’s nurses confidence to refer people to the sessions.

This combination of coaching experience, disability awareness and practical adaptations helps create a setting where players can participate safely and confidently.

Stonehaven’s experience is part of a wider recognition of the potential for table tennis to support people living with neurological conditions.

The BBC has previously featured the use of table tennis as an activity for people with Parkinson’s, illustrating how the sport can provide both physical activity and an opportunity to remain socially connected.

BBC Scotland feature on table tennis and Parkinson’s

There is also growing interest internationally in specialist table tennis programmes. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has featured the NeuroPong programme, which uses table tennis as a way of helping people with neurological conditions stay active while exploring potential benefits for movement, coordination and wellbeing.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society: NeuroPong programme

These programmes should not be viewed as a replacement for medical treatment or individual physiotherapy. Rather, they demonstrate how enjoyable physical activity can complement wider health and rehabilitation strategies.

Perhaps the most powerful message from Stonehaven’s group is that participants don’t need to think of themselves as table tennis players before they walk through the door.

Sheila is a good example. She had not played much table tennis before her disability, yet she has found a place where she can be active, socialise and enjoy the sport.

Alex’s experience reinforces the same message: table tennis can be adapted without losing the fun of playing.

“Table tennis is a fun and low-cost sport with opportunities for all ages and abilities, don’t let any preconceptions hold you back from giving it a try.”

At Stonehaven Table Tennis Club, the Wednesday Disability Table Tennis session is built around exactly that idea. It is a place where Parkinson’s, MS and similar conditions do not have to be barriers to participation.

Instead, with the right adaptations, a supportive coach and a welcoming group, the table can become a place to move, concentrate, laugh, compete, rest and make friends.

And sometimes, the best reason to pick up a bat is simply because it is fun.