Heart and racket, also over 65 in better shape thanks to tennis

Heart and racket: arteries and vessels more fit thanks to tennis also for the over 65s. Playing tennis regularly reduces hypertension, stroke and heart valve diseases. So the myth that red earth fields would be a pitfall for the heart, especially for those who are no longer young, is dispelled: after a good check-up everyone can have fun with the racket, contributing with tennis to the appropriate 'dose' of heartbreaking physical activity. This is demonstrated by the data of a survey promoted by the Italian Society of Geriatric Cardiology (SICGE) and by the Onlus Salute e Società, which "exonerate" tennis and show how this can also be a sport for everyone, even at a later age.

The study was conducted on 145 members of the Rome Tennis Club and 185 inhabitants of Fumone, a town of Ciociaria, who do not practice tennis, involving over 65 with an average age of 74.5 years; all participants underwent cardiological examinations, electrocardiograms and echocardiograms to verify the prevalence of the main vascular risk factors and of the main cardiovascular diseases in later life. "The collected data show that tennis players have a lower body mass index and above all a low incidence of hypertension and diabetes compared to peers who do not practice tennis - explains Alessandro Boccanelli, author of the survey and SICGE president -. Who plays tennis with regularity has a prevalence of high blood pressure of 63% against 80% and a frequency of diabetes of 10% instead of 21% compared to the population of the most sedentary age; among tennis lovers, problems like the left ventricular hypertrophy (21% versus 52%), stroke (1 versus 4%), aortic regurgitation (4 versus 8%) or aortic valve stenosis (no case versus 9% in more sedentary peers). data show that regular physical activity prevents cardiovascular problems, even when it comes to tennis ".

This sport, explains Boccanelli, "is not part of the activities recommended in more advanced age groups because the game includes many shots, rapid and sudden movements and there is the possibility of triggering arrhythmias, to the point that cases of infarction have actually been recorded on the However, our case history shows that there are no risks if you are well trained and above all under control: a regular heart check-up is essential to play safely and gain in cardiovascular prevention thanks to a fun and healthy activity. there are absolute prohibitions, adapting the degree of solicitation to one's physical conditions, but it is advisable - he warns - to have small attentions, such as never forgetting adequate heating and stretching before and after the game, or prefer games in duplicate rather than single, or even play with a heart rate monitor if you already have some heart problems. "

Furthermore, care should be taken in the case of symptoms such as a lack of excessive breathing, a feeling of tightness in the chest or a pain radiating from the chest: when there is something wrong, it is necessary to stop on the sidelines and make sure that there is no is a heart problem. Finally, from the cardiologist, some tips for over-65 players: play every other day for no more than an hour in single and an hour and a half in double; associate aerobic activity on other days, for example treadmill for 20-30 minutes at about 5 km / h; for those who have had a heart attack or atrial fibrillation it is necessary to first contact the cardiologist who will evaluate their suitability according to the type of heart disease. Instead, it is "forbidden - ends Boccanelli - to play tennis for those suffering from heart failure".