A 3-Month Modified Basketball Exercise Program as a Health-Enhancing Sport Activity for Middle-Aged Individuals

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Gerontology
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Recreational team sports are increasingly popular and show positive effects on health-related quality of life.
• Middle-aged adults experience age-related declines in health, functional capacity, and physical fitness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a 3-month modified basketball exercise program on health indices, functional capacity, and physical fitness in middle-aged individuals.
• To determine if basketball exercise can mitigate the detrimental effects of aging.

Main Methods:

• Forty middle-aged adults (40-55 years) were randomized into an exercise group (EG, n=20) and a control group (CG, n=20).
• The EG participated in a 3-month modified basketball program (2x/week) involving various basketball drills.
• Health (body mass, body fat, blood pressure), functional capacity (flexibility, balance, time-up-and-go), and physical fitness (strength, aerobic capacity) were assessed.

Main Results:

• The EG demonstrated significant improvements in flexibility, static balance, lower limb and trunk strength, and reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and RPE.
• The time-up-and-go test duration decreased significantly in the EG.
• No significant changes were observed in handgrip strength, body mass, or body fat in the EG, nor in any measured variables in the CG.

Conclusions:

• A 3-month modified basketball program effectively enhances key health, functional, and fitness parameters in middle-aged adults.
• This exercise intervention shows potential in counteracting age-related declines in physical health and capacity.
• Basketball exercise offers a viable recreational activity for improving well-being in middle-aged populations.