The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in physical fitness between aged gateball players (mean age =72.4yrs.) and people not engaged in exercise (mean age=72.4yrs.), ranging in age from 59 to 89 years.
The sample sizes are as follows ; gateball players : male=68, female=36/people not engaged in exercise : male =21, female =52.
A total of 11 tests representing each physical fitness domain were selected, considering aged people's physical condition.
These tests and the questionnaire on their health and exercise participation were administered to them.
A two-way analysis of variance was used to determine the differences of 11 physical fitness elements.
The results can be summarized as follows:
1. Aged gateball players are more self-confident about their health and physical fitness than people not engaged in exercise with a similar age. The latter tend to complain about their health conditions more frequently.
2. Male gateball players showed significant higher scores in vertical jump and sit-andreach tests, and female gateball players in a tapping test, as compared with people not engaged in exercise.
Overall, gateball players seemed to be healthier and to possess better physical fitness.
3. Although a significant difference in standing height was found between gateball players and people not engaged in exercise in females, this was considered to depend mainly on the difference of standing posture.
4. From examining correlations between the age and physical fitness elements, gateball exercise seemed to be useful to keep up aged people's health and to prevent their physical fitness from declining.