With more time on their hands, many older adults find happiness in hobbies, travel and volunteering. Sports are sometimes regulated to the past, with memories of playing popping up only when you drive past a ballfield or find your well-loved glove hugging a worn baseball. But aerobic exercise, especially as we age, is a great way to support your physical and mental health — and make new friends, too.
Sports Can Make You Physically Stronger
Recent studies suggest that physical fitness, particularly playing sports, promotes longer living. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that engaging in regular physical activity when you’re 65 or older can:
- Better your balance and coordination
- Help you maintain a healthy weight
- Improve heart health
- Lower your blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of cancer
- Strengthen your bones
Sports Are Great for Your Mental Health, Too
According to the CDC, exercise for older people comes with many mental health benefits, from reducing anxiety and helping you sleep better to lowering your risk of developing dementia.
Beyond that, sports for older adults can also help combat loneliness since being a part of a team means meeting regularly for practice and games — and sometimes even getting together for fun social events. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued an advisory on the healing effects of community, specifically identifying sports as a way to promote social connection.
It’s Possible to Avoid Injuries
At an age when just sleeping the wrong way can wreak havoc on your back, it’s reasonable to be concerned about an athletic injury when taking up a new sport. Here are some easy things to do to make injuries less likely.
If you are 65 and older, we recommend making these five easy adjustments to your sports routine:
Invest in good gear. Buy supportive gym shoes and replace them often. Wear comfortable clothing made from moisture-wicking, breathable, supportive fabric that allows for a wide range of movement, and wear protective gear for your sport, such as helmets, gloves, shin guards, mouthguards, pads and glasses. If it’s dark, it’s also a good idea to wear reflective or light-up bands or clothing.
Take time to warm up. Warming up for five to 10 minutes before you begin any physical activity can loosen your joints, increase your flexibility, slowly raise your heart rate and help your blood release more oxygen.
Save stretching for after you warm up. Many people include stretching as part of their warm-up routine, but it’s better to save your stretches for after you warm up, when your muscles are warm.
Be easy on yourself. Listen to your body and remember that it may not be as resilient as it once was. Have fun and be competitive, but don’t push yourself to an avoidable injury.
- Don’t forget to cool down. Cooling down helps your body return to its resting state in a gentle and more natural way, even though it’s easy to skip this step after an exciting game. Cool-down exercises are much like warm-up exercises.
There are Many Different Sports You Can Try
Many communities offer adult sports leagues in different age brackets to help ensure a more even playing field. Reach out to your local rec center, YMCA, sports and health club or activity center to see what’s available near you.
You also can search online for sport-specific leagues. You may be surprised by how many local sports leagues exist for adults like you in your community.
While some sports, like football, may be best left to the younger crowd, most sports can accommodate people who are of an older age, including:
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Bocce
- Bowling
- Golf
- Pickleball
- Rowing
- Running
- Shuffleboard
- Tennis
There are also many opportunities to exercise with a group of people without keeping score, including cycling, dancing, water aerobics and more.
Find Expert Care Close to Stay in the Game
If you have an injury or chronic condition keeping you from playing a sport you love, make an appointment at one of our Sports Medicine and Rehab Care locations today. Our sports medicine providers are ready to provide you whole-person care, for your whole life, so you can get back to the sports you love.
