The Latido y Raqueta Project
Building the First National Cardiopulmonary Table Tennis Network
Latido y Raqueta is not just a sports program. It is a quiet revolution in the way we understand cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and the social integration of people with chronic diseases.
For decades, traditional cardiopulmonary rehabilitation has proven its effectiveness, but it has a critical limitation: it lasts between 8 and 12 weeks and then ends. People return home with recommendations to “stay physically active,” but without a real structure to welcome them, without a community to support them, and often without knowing where to turn.
That is where Latido y Raqueta was born.
The Need We Address
A Public Health Problem That Requires Creative Solutions
The Numbers
- Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Spain (more than 120,000 deaths per year)
- COPD affects approximately 10% of the adult population (more than 2 million people)
- Pulmonary hypertension affects approximately 1,200-1,500 people in Spain
- Heart failure affects more than 700,000 people
The Real Impact on People’s Lives
These are not just numbers. Behind each figure is a person who:
- Has lost autonomy for everyday activities that were once simple
- Experiences dyspnea and fatigue with minimal exertion
- Has abandoned social activities due to embarrassment or physical limitation
- Suffers from anxiety and depression (30-40% of people with COPD or heart failure)
- Depends on others for basic tasks
- Has entered a vicious cycle: avoids physical activity out of fear → loses muscle capacity → dyspnea increases → fear is reinforced
The Barriers to Exercising
Although exercise is beneficial, there are multiple obstacles:
- Lack of specific programs adapted to these pathologies
- Lack of knowledge about which activities are safe
- Fear of worsening one’s health condition
- Absence of welcoming structures in traditional sports clubs
- Economic barriers (reduced income due to work disability)
- Concentration of resources in large cities, leaving rural areas underserved
Latido y Raqueta exists to eliminate these barriers.
Our Vision and Mission
Vision: A Spain Where No One Is Left Behind
To make Spain a European benchmark for inclusive cardiopulmonary/vascular sport, where every person with a cardiopulmonary pathology can find their nearest club or hospital to practice table tennis regularly, safely, and in a socially integrating way.
Mission: Building the Structure
To create the first national cardiopulmonary/vascular table tennis network with a dual access pathway (hospital and club), offering people with cardiopulmonary and vascular pathologies a real avenue for sports participation that improves their physical, cognitive, and emotional health, and fully integrates them into the sporting community.
The Innovation of Latido y Raqueta
What Makes Us Unique
1. Dual Access Pathway: Hospital and Club
The main innovation is offering two entry points adapted to each person’s level of confidence and functional capacity:
- Hospitals as a protected space for first steps
- Sports clubs for direct integration into the community
This flexibility allows each person to choose their path according to their needs, eliminating the one-size-fits-all rigid model.
2. Real Integration, Not Segregation
Unlike programs that create isolated “special groups,” Latido y Raqueta seeks full integration into the table tennis sporting community.
Participants are not “patients in a medical program”, but rather table tennis players with specific needs that the club embraces.
3. Scalability and Sustainability
The model leverages existing infrastructure (clubs and underutilized hospital spaces) and is designed to be sustainable through a mixed financial model: sponsorships, grants, and subsidized fees.
Once the pilot model is validated, it can be replicated in hundreds of locations across Spain with minimal investment.
Pilot Phase – Year 1
The Concrete Plan for the First Year
Objective
To create within 1 year a pilot network of 5 locations distributed across Spain (table tennis clubs and hospitals with adapted spaces) where 40-50 people practice regularly, with medical follow-up documenting their physical, cognitive, and emotional improvements.
Year 1 Timeline
PHASE 1: Preparation and Selection (Months 1-3)
- Selection of the 5 locations
- Signing of agreements with clubs and hospitals
- Training of coaches in cardiopulmonary pathologies
- Infrastructure preparation
- Fundraising
PHASE 2: Launch and Recruitment (Months 4-6)
- Outreach campaign through patient associations
- Launch event on May 5 (World Pulmonary Hypertension Day)
- Enrollment and initial assessments
- Start of regular training sessions (2 sessions/week)
PHASE 3: Consolidation and Expansion (Months 7-9)
- Consolidated training sessions
- Interim follow-up (repeat testing)
- First inter-location meetups
- Hospital-to-club transitions
- Documentation of success stories
PHASE 4: Evaluation and Final Tournament (Months 10-12)
- Complete final evaluation
- First National Latido y Raqueta Tournament
- Presentation of results at SEPAR (Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery) congress
- Planning for Year 2 expansion
Budget and Investment
An Efficient Investment with High Social Impact
Year 1 Budget: 25,000 – 35,000€
This investment covers:
- Coach training
- Basic sports equipment
- Project coordination and management
- Medical assessments
- National Tournament organization
- Communication and outreach
Cost per participant: 500-700€ per year
For context: A traditional 12-week cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program costs between 1,500-2,500€ per patient. Latido y Raqueta offers year-round continuity at a lower cost.
Long-Term Vision
Beyond Year 1: A National Movement
Year 2: Consolidation and Growth
- Expansion to 10-15 additional locations
- 100-150 people practicing regularly
- Second National Tournament with greater participation
- Scientific publication in an indexed journal
Years 3-5: Consolidated National Network
- 30-50 locations throughout Spain
- 300-500 people practicing regularly
- National Latido y Raqueta league
- Recognition as a reference program in Europe
Be Part of the Change
Latido y Raqueta is more than a project. It is a movement that is proving that adapted sport is not a utopia, but an achievable reality.
Are you a table tennis club interested in participating?
Do you work at a hospital with available space?
Do you represent a company or foundation that wants to support the project?
Are you a healthcare professional specialized in cardiopulmonary pathologies?
Your participation can change lives.