A leisure sport turns out to be a true elixir of longevity. Studies show that those who practice it regularly gain nearly ten years oflife expectancy compared to sedentary people, and more years spent in good health. It’s neither solitary jogging nor indoor cycling, but a racket game that works the heart, muscles, brain and social bonds. Science explains this bonus better and better.
In the family of racket sportsthis is the
tennis who comes first. Danish researchers, in a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, observed that tennis players experience 9.7 years
more than inactive people. Beyond the numbers, this sport ticks off endurance, power, balance, reflexes, but also the pleasure of playing and regular meetings, key ingredients of longevity.
Why tennis leads in life expectancy
A study published in the “British Journal of Sports Medicine” compared the effect of several physical activities on mortality. The authors report that those who regularly play a racquet sport “decreased their chances of death by 47% compared to those who were not active.” “The chance of dying from cardiovascular disease (stroke, heart attack, etc.) decreases by 56%.” These numbers show that these games are highly protective of the heart, and tennis dominates this category.
The Danish study published in “Mayo Clinic Proceedings” ranks tennis far ahead of other disciplines: badminton would add 6.2 years of life, football 4.7, cycling 3.7 and swimming 3.4. A tennis match makes you spend400 to 600 calories per hour“, according to the data of this study, enough to help maintain a stable weight while using legs, back, shoulders and abdominals, which helps to maintain physical strength with age.
Tennis, muscles and brain: truly healthy years of life
On the court, each racket strike requires hand-eye coordination, movement and changes of pace. The body is put to work, which maintains muscle mass and bone strength as we age. Doctors talk about grip strength to designate the power of the hand which grips an object; when it drops, several studies link it to more cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and dementia.
A tennis ball to test your longevity
Good news, there is a mini-check-up at home to find out if you are aging in good shape: the blood pressure test. tennis ball. For emergency physician Gérald Kierzek, grip strength reflects the state of the body, and a weak grip goes hand in hand with more cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and early mortality.
This correlation is explained by the fact that hand strength reflects not only muscular condition, but also neurological health, blood circulation and hormonal balance. “It is a simple but very powerful marker of general vitality“, confirms our expert.
What if a few ball exchanges were worth more than just a moment of relaxation? Behind every serve and every move, tennis acts as a complete workout for the heart, muscles, brain… and even longevity. Enough to look at this leisure sport differently.