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Leisure sports and postural control: can a black belt protect your balance from aging?

TitleLeisure sports and postural control: can a black belt protect your balance from aging?
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsKrampe, R. T., Smolders C., & Doumas M.
JournalPsychol Aging
Volume29
Issue1
Pagination95-102
Date Published2014 Mar
ISSN1939-1498
KeywordsAdolescent, Aged, Aging, Humans, Leisure Activities, Male, Martial Arts, Middle Aged, Postural Balance, Sports, Young Adult
Abstract

To determine potential benefits of intensive leisure sports for age-related changes in postural control, we tested 3 activity groups comprising 70 young (M = 21.67 years, SD = 2.80) and 73 older (M = 62.60 years, SD = 5.19) men. Activity groups were martial artists, who held at least 1st Dan (black belt), sportive individuals exercising sports without explicit balance components, and nonsportive controls. Martial artists had an advantage over sportive individuals in dynamic posture tasks (upright stance on a sway-referenced platform), and these 2 active groups showed better postural control than nonsportive participants. Age-related differences in postural control were larger in nonsportive men compared with the 2 active groups, who were similar in this respect. In contrast, negative age differences in other sensorimotor and cognitive functions did not differ between activity groups. We concluded that individuals engaging in intensive recreational sports have long-term advantages in postural control. However, even in older martial artists with years of practice in their sports, we observed considerable differences favoring the young.

DOI10.1037/a0035501
Alternate JournalPsychol Aging
PubMed ID24660799

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