Cousins Stephen, McIntyre Kylie, Lyristakis Philip, Padula Keanu, McCaig Jane, Gordon Brett
La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia.
Holsworth Biomedical Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia.
Sports (Basel). 2025 Aug 15;13(8):272. doi: 10.3390/sports13080272.
This pilot study aimed to investigate the experiences of participating in a brief walking football intervention among rural older adults and explore the functional health outcomes of participation.
This multi-methods study saw 13 older adults (7 males/6 females, 63.2 ± 9.4 years) complete 1-h of walking football per week for six weeks. Pre- and post-intervention, participants underwent assessments of body composition, as well as functional assessments using the Senior Fitness Testing Battery. On completion of the walking football intervention, all participants joined in a semi-structured focus group interview to explore their experiences of participation.
Thematic analysis of focus group data identified three themes that captured participant's experiences, including: (1) "Opportunity to jump back in with what we can physically do", (2) Social connection and feeling "part of something bigger", and (3) "It's how our brain is engaged". Trivial changes were observed in assessments of body composition (0.07-0.08) and flexibility (0.02-0.19). Furthermore, small-to-large magnitude changes were observed for several functional health outcomes suggestive of improved walking capacity (0.72-1.6), agility (-0.9) and upper and lower body muscular strength (0.49).
Rural older adults reported experiencing perceived health and well-being improvements from participation in a brief walking football intervention, with functional health benefits also evident; however, further suitably powered evidence is highly warranted.
本试点研究旨在调查农村老年人参与简短步行足球干预的体验，并探索参与后的功能健康结果。
这项多方法研究让13名老年人（7名男性/6名女性，63.2±9.4岁）每周进行1小时的步行足球活动，持续六周。干预前后，参与者接受了身体成分评估以及使用老年人健身测试套件进行的功能评估。在步行足球干预结束后，所有参与者参加了一次半结构化焦点小组访谈，以探讨他们的参与体验。
焦点小组数据的主题分析确定了三个反映参与者体验的主题，包括：（1）“有机会重新投入到我们身体力所能及的事情中”，（2）社会联系和感觉“成为更宏大事物的一部分”，以及（3）“这关乎我们大脑的参与程度”。身体成分评估（0.07 - 0.08）和柔韧性评估（0.02 - 0.19）中观察到细微变化。此外，在几个功能健康结果方面观察到小到大幅度的变化，表明步行能力（0.72 - 1.6）、敏捷性（-0.9）以及上半身和下半身肌肉力量（0.49）有所改善。
农村老年人报告称，参与简短的步行足球干预后，他们的健康状况和幸福感得到了改善，功能健康方面的益处也很明显；然而，非常有必要进一步开展有充分样本量的研究以提供证据。
