Abstract
This article presents the results of a multidisciplinary study which investigated the effects of a period with floorball training on health status, psychological health and social capital of older men. Thirty-nine untrained men aged 69.9 ± 0.6 (range: 65–76) were randomized into a group playing floorball (n = 22) or a group playing petanque (n = 17) one hour twice a week for 12 weeks. Both groups filled out the Health Survey Short Form (SF-12) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) before and after the 12-week intervention. Linear regression analyses with bootstrapping showed that the men in the floorball group improved in the SF-12 composite score for mental health, as well as the HADS subscales anxiety and depression, compared to the men in the petanque group. In addition, 21 interviews were conducted with a sample of the men engaged in floorball. According to the statements in the interviews, the men in the floorball group experienced a high degree of solidarity and group cohesion which seemed to have increased their social capital during the intervention. In particular, the fun and joyful experiences of playing led to a high degree of social connectedness, which were mentioned by many of the men as the main reason for their participation throughout the 12-week period. The statistical results and the interview findings suggest that participation in a ball game such as floorball has several benefits regarding health status, psychological health and social capital and in addition that playing floorball is experienced as enjoyable amongst older men. Thus, it can be concluded that floorball is an activity that benefits older men and should be provided in relevant contexts, such as e.g. sport clubs or centres for seniors.
Highlights
Aging can have many noticeable consequences for physical and psychological health
We found that (1) floorball, compared to petanque, produced desirable effects for health status and psychological health; and (2) the homogeneous group of men above age 65 created social relationships on and off the floorball pitch, which was expressed as a key factor for the men‟s positive experiences in the 12-week floorball intervention
In the SF-12 mental health composite score, the floorball group improved to a larger extent than the petanque group
Summary
Aging can have many noticeable consequences for physical and psychological health. Among these consequences is physiological decline, such as accumulation of body fat [1] as well as loss of functional capacity and muscle strength [2], together with several geriatric syndromes [3]. Participation in physical activity seems to be a possible way to alleviate the physical decline that is often connected aging [11,12] To this end, team games have been shown to produce positive cardiovascular effects due to the intermittent nature of the activity [13,14], and can produce health benefits in older adults that are similar to those produced by resistance training [15]. To participate in physical activity, it is important for older men to be offered a motivating activity that is offered in an including context It appears that team games can meet these expectations [15,21], and it seems that team games can be a fruitful way to alleviate some of the decline in psychological health that is brought about by old age in men. We wanted to investigate possible reasons for the hypothesized difference between the effects of participation in floorball and petanque
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