Ping pong could be prescribed to patients with nerve damage.
Ping pong could be prescribed to patients
The sport has been found to reduce symptoms of conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease, both of which are incurable and cause nerves to break down over time.
Table tennis improves hand-eye coordination and muscle strength and Dr. Antonio Barbera - who was diagnosed with MS in 2016 - is running a clinical trial to prove the medical benefits of the game.
He said: "I believe it has the potential to revolutionise MS therapy.
"Ping pong really challenges our brain much more than any other activity because it is so fast.
"Not only do our eyes, hands and feet need to be in sync, but we must process information in less than half a second for the paddle to react to the ball."
Patients will play ping pong for two hours per week and Dr. Barbera is adamant that the sport can improve mobility, balance, flexibility and strength in MS sufferers.