Finding sports to help stay active and healthy in senior age

There was a post on my email that stated that 25% of women aged 65 and over cannot walk three blocks or climb a flight of stairs. Then I recalled being at road races and seeing runners in their 80s and 90s completing the 3.1 miles in a 5K race. They are not necessarily fast but many of them are still moving faster than a good walking pace. This led to thinking about the various states of fitness from classmates and friends that are now over the age 65. Some are still very active with a few aches in the joints and others are using walkers to get around. I wondered which sports or activities these people participated in when they were in high school or college and if it had any impact on how they get around in their senior years.

Knowing that runners are generally classified as thin and muscular and those that continue running after their competitive years tend to remain thin and muscular. I have also observed classmates at class reunions that were on the track team and 15 years later are 50-75 pounds heavier and having trouble getting around. It seems the amount of food they consumed when they were running continued at the same level after they quit running. Because of the extreme change in weight — and mostly fat — many of them were suffering from some form of heart disease or diabetes. 

There are some statistics that list the sport or activity that has the highest injury rate is cheerleading. Another high injury rate is ballet dancing. These activities rank right up there with football. The problem is that the injury makes continuing being active painful or difficult.

Some pro football players are known to be almost immobile as they age from bad knees. 

 Runners do well as a sport to continue for a lifetime activity. I had one friend that ran over 10 miles every day. The gait he ran was like a shuffle. No impact on the feet or knees when you shuffle along and that helps prevent problems in those joints. He was still shuffling along in his 80s. 

The "lifetime sports" of golf and tennis are ranked as good sports to continue through a lifetime. Some golfers continue doing well in their senior years. Those that hit the ball with an arched back follow through tend not to last as long. The same for the rotation of the knee. Golf carts are a real blessing for senior-aged golfers. Tennis players resort to the doubles game with like aged opponents that hit the ball slower and with less distance to cover it keeps the game fun. The problem with senior aged tennis players is that some outside conditioning for strength and flexibility is needed. Muscle tends to lose flexibility and strength as we age if we do not work out and the first time the older tennis player forgets their age and reaches for a wide return will end up injured.

Basketball is considered a ‘non-contact’ sport and can be played for many years. I remember sitting in the locker room after a run at lunch and looking at the faculty men basketball players. There were no referees in these pickup games and the number of twisted ankles, black eyes, pulled muscles, and bruises made me glad I chose running as a sport instead of basketball. 

I managed a slow pitch team of over 40 year’s softball team. My team was all the coaches and ex-ballplayers. I thought that we were going to rule the league. I had 12 men on the team. By the 4th inning I was down to nine players. If I lost one more player we would have to forfeit. I lost one man with a pulled calf muscle running to first base, another with cracked ribs trying to field a ground ball, a pulled hamstring chasing a fly ball, and a sore shoulder trying to throw a hard one to first base. I put the player with the cracked rib at catcher and had him roll the ball back to me after each pitch. We did win.

The heavy weight lifters usually find the joints in the knees, hips, and back giving them problems and can only last a few years before they wear out. Lifting for fitness and to maintain strength seems to work best. If a lifter can stay away from the “that was an easy set, I might as well add weight this next set” mentality they will last longer. It is possible to switch to a sport or activity that is not as injury prone as we get older. The observation of individuals that did not participate in any activity seem to be just as prone to injuries as those that were active. Choose your sport and level of participation wisely when you are young so you can continue when you reach senior age.