| |  | | | 14 / The Older Athlete | | | Vinnie Mamo
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| | | | Defintion | Who is the older athlete? It maybe: those older than the current world record holders for a particular event; those considered ‘old’ in the community or those older than yourself . Inactivity Accounts for more than half the physiological and structural decline in sedentary adults. Warm-up and warm-down periods with exercise is important. Changes With Ageing | | Musculoskeletal system | Collagen and Elastin Increased molecular stability and brittleness of structures means less compliance and therefore vulnerability to disruption. Tendon and Ligament Also less compliant with reduced glycosaminoglycan content. Bone resorption at tendon or ligament insertion occurs with less force required to avulse them. Skeletal muscle Loss of muscle mass (5-10%) by reduced number and size of fibres. Fast twitch (Type II) lost more than slow twitch (Type I). However metabolic capacity remains fairly stable. Strength falls slowly until about 50 years old, thereafter there is a more rapid decline, approximately 10-20% by age 60. Power = work/time; this is reduced because of slower muscular contraction. Cartilage Reduced water content, smaller proteoglycan subunits result in less ability to withstand compression and deformation. Again though, inactivity is the greatest accelerator of cartilage deterioration. Bone Bone mass loss occurs normally with ageing, after the third or fourth decade, with a reduction in osteoblastic activity. This is accelerated in women after the menopause. Trabecular bone being more affected than cortical bone (Fig. 166). | | Cardiovascualr system | The maximum cardiac workload reduced with age, this may be accelerated by atherosclerosis. The ageing heart has to work harder to meet the same metabolic demands (Fig. 169). | | Respiratory system | Functional lung reserves for aerobic work efforts are reduced and so the respiratory system’s ability to deliver oxygen to the body’s working cellular systems. | | Central nervous system | Athletic performance is affected by decreases in: fluid (new and complex task) intelligence, attention spans, the senses and reaction times. | | Temperature regulation | Older athletes are more prone to heat accumulation (heat exhaustion) and heat loss (hypothermia). | | | Psychosocial benefits of exercise  Athletic participation has innumerable benefits for the older athlete in terms of continuing to participate in society. They suffer less tension, fatigue, depression, confusion, anger and have improved vigou (Fig. 171). Older athletes are more prone to: Rotator cuff and bicipital tendinitis, patello, femoral arthrosis, trochanteric (hip) bursitis, quadriceps, tendinitis and rupture, gastrocnemius tear, osteopaeric fractures (in post-menopausal women) and discogenic low back pain (Figs 170). |
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