Strength and Balance in Recreational Golfers Aged Over 80 Years

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sports Science
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Muscle strength and balance naturally decline with advanced age, especially after 80.
• Golf participation is linked to better strength and balance in younger older adults (65-79).
• The effect of golf on strength and balance in adults over 80 remains uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the strength and balance of golfers aged over 80.
• To compare these metrics with data from younger golfers and non-golfers (aged 65-79).

Main Methods:

• Evaluated grip strength, single-leg balance, and lower limb power (30-s sit-to-stand test) in golfers over 80.
• Compared these results with existing data on golfers and non-golfers aged 65-79.
• Utilized the Composite Y Balance Test and anterior reach distances for dynamic balance assessment.

Main Results:

• Over-80 golfers showed similar grip strength, single-leg balance, and leg power to 65-79 non-golfers.
• Dynamic balance (Y balance test, reach distances) was significantly lower in over-80 golfers compared to 65-79 non-golfers.
• Over-80 golfers exhibited lower dynamic balance, single-leg stance times, lower limb power, and left-side grip strength than 65-79 golfers.

Conclusions:

• Golf may attenuate age-related decline in grip strength, lower limb power, and static balance, but this requires prospective validation.
• Dynamic balance appears to decline in golfers over 80, performing worse than younger golfers and non-golfers.
• Further intervention studies are necessary to confirm if golf participation, rather than other factors, preserves strength and balance in the oldest adults.