The Importance of Sport in Aging Process

Abstract

The goal of the current study is to investigate the effects of past and current participation in sport and exercise on physical fitness levels of the elderly.

In the current study, the participants were 849 males over the age of 60 who do daily life activities independently and do not have any serious health problems. Participants in the study were divided into 4 groups; those who did sports in their youth and now; (YYOY), those who did sports in theır youth, but now don’t do it now; (YYON), those who didn’t do sports in their youth but now do; (YNOY), and those who have never done any sports; (YNON). A personal information form was used for determine their relationships with sport earlier in life and and now. The protocol of Senior Fitness Test (SFT) consisting of 6 different stations was used to determine of physical fitness levels of participants. The One Way Anova and LSD test was used to analyse variables of differences between groups according to participation in sport early in life and now and the threshold for significance level was 0.05.

There was statistically significant differences between physical fitness parameters of the groups “those who did sports in their younth, but now don't" (YYON) and ““Those who didi sports in their youth and now" (YYOY), only. The groups of “those who did sports, but now don't" (YYON) and “have never done sports" (YNON) have the lowest physical fitness levels (p<0,05).

Physıcal exercise in terms of sports and exercises have positive effects on physical fitness levels but if the sport is not a life style, physical fitness levels from the exercise will be lost over time. Starting from this point of view, the expression “It doesn't matter what you did yesterday, what you’re doing today matters" is extremely important in relation to exercise and sport.