2010 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 9-15
Age-related declines in muscle strength and balance increase the risk of falls, which in many cases result in spine or hip fractures because of the increased osteoporosis in old age. Blood chemistry tests were conducted on a Player group of 11 elderly women who had played tennis continuously for >30 years and a Control group of 8 elderly women who did not exercise regularly.
We checked the bone resorption marker type 1 carboxy-terminal telopeptide (1CTP) and the bone formation marker bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) using blood samples. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content, and body fat content were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Measures of functional fitness were one-leg standing with eyes open and functional reach. The Japanese version of SF-36 was used to evaluate individual health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The present results demonstrate that playing tennis for 30 years has beneficial effects on bone composition, balance, and mental health into old age. Various confounding factors may be considered, but the results suggest that playing sports such as tennis can contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
