A retrospective comparison of physical health in regular recreational table tennis participants and sedentary elderly men

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the benefits of regular recreational table tennis games for body composition, physical performance and muscle strength of older adult men. METHODS: We compared twenty older male regular table tennis players (RTTP) and twenty age- and weight-matched sedentary participants (SP). Body composition (LM, lean mass; FM, fat mass; BMD, bone mineral density), physical function, and muscle strength were analyzed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, short physical performance battery (SPPB) and a hand-held dynamometer, respectively. RESULTS: The RTTP had a higher elbow flexor, knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle strength than the SP. The RTTP had a higher total, regional (arm, leg and lumbar spine), and site-specific (trochanter and Ward’s triangle) BMD, and a lower fat mass, in total and regional terms (arm, leg, and truck) as well as percentage of body mass, than the SP. RTTP had a higher SPPB score and performed the 400-m walk in a shorter time than SP. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that regular table tennis has beneficial effects on muscle strength, physical performance and body composition, and is a potent activity to improve health in older adults.