health benefits of basketball essay

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Health Benefits of Basketball

‌Basketball is a sport that is loved and enjoyed by people all over the world. In 2019, The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) said that basketball had 450 million players and fans globally. The sport has two teams with five players who each compete to score points by pushing a ball down a hoop placed 10 feet off the ground.  

Because basketball doesn’t need much equipment and can be set up easily anywhere, it can be played both indoors and outdoors.  Also, you can get started with basketball as a team of one or even two people. ‌ 

Basketball is a lot more than just an exciting game to play. The sport offers a lot of physical, mental, and emotional health benefits for anyone who wants to become more active or develop a healthier lifestyle. In this sense, it is a great mind and full-body workout. 

Physical Health Benefits of Basketball

Playing basketball benefits your physical health in a number of different ways, including: 

Helps you improve your heart health: Engaging in intense sports activities like basketball and using up at least 2000 or more kilocalories per week can help you reduce your risk of getting heart disease .

A study points out that 70-minute basketball sessions played three times per week with the exercise intensity set at 50% to 80% of your heart rate reserve (HRR) helps reduce blood pressure. HRR is a way to measure how intensely you’re exercising during a workout or other physical activity.

It’s good for your bones : Playing basketball gives you a workout with a mix of jumping exercises in combination with weight-bearing activities — like tennis or jogging — and resistance exercises in the form of weight-lifting. Together, these activities all help to support bone health in adults. When your bones are not healthy, they are more likely to become weak and break easier.

When your bones break, it can be painful and you may need surgery to help fix the damage. Developing healthy lifestyle choices can help you reduce the risk of osteoporosis , a disease that makes your bones weak. 

Helps you lose weight: Basketball can help you burn up to 700 calories per hour, which makes it a good option to consider if you’re trying to lose weight . People with obesity have a higher risk of developing conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes , cancer, problems with digestion, sexual, or gynecological functions, sleep apnea , degenerative arthritis, and more severe symptoms of COVID-19.

Helps you improve your balance and coordination: Basketball can help you improve your sense of balance. Balance is a way for your body to plan/respond to movements based on the information collected by your brain. It also helps you boost your ability to coordinate your movements because you need to be watching, holding, dribbling, or passing the ball throughout the game.  

Helps build muscles: Playing basketball can help you increase your upper and lower body strength by building muscle.

Mental and Emotional Health Benefits

There are many different mental and emotional health benefits to playing basketball, including:

• ‌ Helps reduce stress: Regular exercise helps to reduce the negative effects of stress and helps you relax.
• ‌ Helps improve moods:  It can help improve your moods and confidence in yourself. It can also help mildly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Basketball is a fun way to get some regular exercise into your lifestyle.
• ‌ Helps develop concentration and discipline: Building concentration can help you get more things done and enjoy more flow in every aspect of your life. Self-discipline can help you manage your life better so you’re doing more of the things you want to achieve. 
• Helps you become a better team player: Basketball is a team sport. In order to win, you have to work well with other members of your team. Playing basketball regularly can help you become a better team player and build better social relationships with others. 
• ‌ Helps you develop faster decision-making skills: Basketball can help you "think on your feet," as you often have to make split-second decisions with very little time on hand. Playing the sport regularly can help you transfer these skills to other aspects of your life, like work or family.

Things to Remember When Playing Basketball

• ‌Always consult your doctor before you start any new exercise program including basketball.
• Basketball is a fast-paced game where you will be doing a lot of running, jumping, and twisting movements, so there are chances for injury. Do warm-up and cool-down exercises to minimize the risk of injury.   
• ‌Drink fluids at regular intervals to make sure you are hydrated .   
• ‌Start slowly. Build up your fitness levels before your start to increase the intensity and duration of your basketball sessions. Otherwise, you may expose yourself to a higher risk of injury.

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• Basketball teaches you about being a good team player and can be a great social sport.
• Adults should check with their doctor before taking up basketball.
• Basketball puts a lot of stress on the body and injuries can happen, so warming up, stretching your muscles and joints, and cooling down is important.
• Make sure you have plenty of fluids on hand and rehydrate regularly.

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Health benefits of basketball, other benefits of basketball, getting started with basketball, basketball and children, some general tips, where to get help.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and one of the most widely viewed. It is a team sport that involves two teams of five active players each trying to score points against one another by throwing a ball through a 300 cm (10 feet) high hoop (the ‘basket’) under organised rules. It is played on both indoor and outdoor courts. The size of the court, height of the basket, size of the basketball, and length of time that the game is played, can all vary according to the age, size and skill level of players. Basketball is a fast moving game that involves a lot of variety, including shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defence and much more.

Basketball involves a lot of starting and stopping. While not renowned as an aerobic sport, it is still a great workout that can help you:

• burn calories (an hour of basketball can burn 630–750 calories)
• build endurance
• improve balance and coordination
• develop concentration and self-discipline
• build up muscle.

As well as being a great way to stay fit, basketball can also:

• help you to make new friends and see them regularly teach you about being a good team player
• be played by people of all ages and all abilities
• be played all year round because it’s usually an indoor sport
• be a fun game that kids of all levels and ages can enjoy
• be practiced alone – all you need is a ball and a hoop (and you can find a hoop in most local parks and school grounds)
• be played and enjoyed with as few as two people (although official games require 10 players).

Although official games of basketball require 10 players, you can play a game of basketball with just one other person. You can also go out and shoot baskets by yourself. If you want to play basketball competitively, you can become a member of a team and get involved in local competition. Check out your local sports centres and associations for information on how to join a team, or start your own.

Basketball equipment

One of the great things about the game is that apart from having a basketball, you require very little other equipment to play. However, as basketball involves a lot of running and jumping, it can also be wise to have:

• basketball or sports shoes that provide good ankle support
• mouth guards
• protective knee and elbow pads.

Basketball is a great way for kids to get active and have fun. ‘Aussie hoops’ is a national introductory basketball program for primary school children, started by Basketball Australia and the Australian Sports Commission. It provides primary school girls and boys of all ages, abilities and skill levels, with the opportunity to play basketball and develop sport and social skills in a safe environment. The program is delivered at local schools, community centers and local stadiums throughout Australia, by local associations and trained professionals. To find your local association, contact Basketball Victoria on (03) 9927 6666.

Suggestions include:

• Be aware that basketball is a fast-action game with lots of running, jumping, pivoting and twisting, so injuries and accidents can happen easily.
• Basketball puts a lot of stress on the legs, especially the knees and ankles, and puts pressure on tight shoulders.
• Protect yourself by becoming strong and flexible, as basketball is a very physically demanding game.
• Warm up and stretch your muscles and joints before hitting the court. Also cool down and stretch after playing.
• Don’t overdo it (this will depend on your age and condition). Mix it up with other low-impact sports.
• While playing in a full team competition is great, you can also have fun and benefit from a small space, a basket and a game of one on one.
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Unlock The Benefits Of Playing Basketball: Physical & Mental

Basketball is a dynamic and exhilarating sport that captures the hearts of millions worldwide. Beyond its sheer entertainment value, basketball offers numerous physical, mental, and social benefits to those who partake in the game. Whether played casually or competitively, engaging in basketball can contribute to overall well-being and personal growth. In this blog, we will explore the remarkable benefits of playing basketball and how it positively impacts individuals on multiple levels.

Physical Fitness and Health

One of the most evident advantages of playing basketball is the improvement of physical fitness. Basketball is a highly active sport that involves basketball dribbling , running, jumping, and shooting, all of which demand agility, speed, and coordination. Regular participation in basketball helps in developing cardiovascular endurance, enhancing stamina, and improving muscular strength and flexibility.

The fast-paced nature of the game helps burn calories, promoting weight loss and maintaining a healthy body mass index. Moreover, basketball involves constant movement, which increases bone density, reduces the risk of osteoporosis, and strengthens the skeletal system. It also enhances hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and motor skills, leading to improved overall athleticism.

Mental Well-being and Cognitive Skills

Playing basketball also offers significant mental health benefits. Engaging in physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, commonly known as "feel-good" hormones, which can alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression. Regular basketball sessions help individuals manage their emotions, boost their mood, and enhance overall mental well-being.

Basketball is a mentally challenging sport that requires strategic thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. Players must quickly analyze the game situation, make split-second judgments, and execute appropriate actions. These cognitive basketball skills developed on the court can translate into various aspects of life, such as improved focus, concentration, and mental agility.

Teamwork and Social Interaction

Basketball is often played in teams, fostering a sense of camaraderie and promoting teamwork. Team sports provide opportunities to develop and improve social skills, as players must communicate, cooperate, and coordinate with their teammates effectively. This collaborative environment teaches valuable lessons in trust, respect, and empathy, contributing to personal growth and enhanced relationships.

Participating in basketball leagues or joining pickup games also exposes individuals to diverse communities, allowing for social interaction and networking. Bonds formed on the court can extend off the court, leading to lasting friendships and a broader social support system. Additionally, basketball helps individuals develop leadership skills, as players often take on roles such as team captains or point guards, requiring them to motivate and guide their teammates.

Self-discipline and Perseverance

Basketball instills important qualities like self-discipline and perseverance. Regular practice and training are essential to improving basketball skills, and players learn the value of setting goals, working hard, and remaining dedicated to their craft. The sport teaches individuals to overcome challenges, bounce back from failures, and persist in the face of adversity.

Basketball also provides opportunities for personal growth and character development. Through wins and losses, players learn sportsmanship, humility, and integrity. They acquire valuable lessons in resilience, adaptability, and learning from mistakes, all of which contribute to personal growth and a strong work ethic.

The benefits of playing basketball extend far beyond the basketball court. Engaging in this exciting sport enhances physical fitness, promotes mental well-being, fosters brotherhood , teamwork and social interaction, and cultivates essential life skills. Whether you play for fun or with a competitive spirit, basketball offers a wide range of advantages that positively impact various aspects of life. So, grab a basketball, head to the nearest court, and experience firsthand the incredible benefits that basketball has to offer.

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10 Basketball Health Benefits for Physical and Mental Wellbeing

• Posted by by Sean J.

If you want to improve your health, playing basketball offers so many benefits.

Basketball is not only an enjoyable sport, it benefits you in several ways.  

Basketball can help you to prevent certain health problems.

At the same time, it offers you some real-life qualities that improve your general well-being, including:

• Promoting muscle development
• Improving hand-to-eye coordination, and
• Fostering values of teamwork

In this post, we’ll discuss the most impactful health benefits of playing basketball.

Finally, we’ll also share how, as an exercise, playing basketball benefits our mental wellness.

Let’s dive in.

1. Improves cardiovascular health

Basketball is a great choice of sport, considering the well-being of your heart.

Running up and down the court when in possession of the ball gets the heart racing.

Ultimately, this improves heart conditioning and overall fitness conditions. 

One study shows that various training techniques can increase cardiorespiratory.

One of these training techniques is circuit training. Circuit training is a series of training exercises that are carried out in a training sequence.

It can entail a series of push-ups, bench crunches, skipping, squatting , jumping over the bench, thrust squats, and more. 

While constantly exercising, basketball helps you build your endurance. This also gives a chance at evaluating the health state of the heart. 

That way, you can reduce the risk of a stroke or any heart disease at a later age. 

2. Promotes muscle development and endurance

Playing basketball involves running, jumping, dribbling, and shooting.

All of these movements stimulate the muscles at work and help in their development. 

Basketball is a sport that requires a great deal of agility, strength , and stamina.

It involves swift movement with the ball in your hand. You must swiftly move in directions while flexing your muscles to take advantage. 

You also learn muscular endurance which is the ability to apply force for a longer period repeatedly.

This takes place most especially when you play basketball frequently and exercise to build on your lower and upper body strength. 

Likewise, you practice how to guide the ball from your opponent during a game.

This further improves your muscle development and enhances endurance. 

3. Enhances coordination and balance

Just as we have eye-hand coordination in tennis playing, we have hand-eye and foot coordination in basketball.

This is one of the significant health benefits of basketball, here’s why.

Playing basketball helps to develop better hand-eye-foot coordination while maintaining a balanced movement throughout the game. 

When playing, there is a need for a series of sharp and smooth body movements.

This occurs as you run in different directions, dribble, jump and shoot the ball.

Playing basketball requires full-body coordination and this skill can only be acquired through constant practice.

Dribbling in basketball also helps to develop hand-eye coordination.

You are always alert and watching out for the moves to make with the ball in your hand.

Related: Balance Workout Exercises: 7 Best Drills for Stability

4. Improves mental development

Basketball is a game of thinking, anticipation, and witty movements.

Playing basketball might seem like it’s only a high-speed game that does not allow for much deliberation. 

But here’s the surprising thing:

The game is mapped out in your mind while you are on your toes.

Just like an architect trying to build a mighty building, the plan starts in his mind. 

Basketball requires a lot of physical strength and skills. However, you have to play out these skills based on the strategies you have in your head.  

Basketball trains you to concentrate and stay focused so that you can adequately execute plans you have in your mind as you play on the court against your opponent. 

It helps you to study your opponents and teammates and be able to predict their actions and also react quickly.

5. Enhances spatial awareness

As we mentioned earlier, basketball is a game that requires a great deal of balance.

Basketball allows you to be aware of your space and be able to maintain your body composition. 

To take a perfect shot or to play defense effectively, you need to know where and how your body is positioned. 

Only through constant basketball practice can you learn more about your body composition and utilize your space effectively.

6. Helps to burn calories

All the continuous workouts help to burn out calories in the body.

For every hour you play basketball, there is the assurance that you will burn out large amounts of calories. 

You don’t want to be having too many calories in your body, and not burn it. This may bring about some health complications.

A person who weighs 165 pounds is likely to burn about 600 calories within an hour of playing basketball.

Also, a person weighing about 250 pounds can burn approximately 900 calories within the same timeframe. 

All the fast side-to-side movements, dribbling, running, jumping, and others serve as an aerobic workout that burns calories. 

Related: Weight-loss Plateau: 21 Easy Ways to Break a Plateau

7. Lowers stress

Reducing stress is one of the most important benefits of playing basketball benefits.

You must have heard of endorphins, the chemical released by your body when you exercise . 

Endorphins are biologically known as happiness hormones . They help to boost your mood, promote relaxation and reduce pain in your body. 

But that’s not all.

Endorphins can also help in alleviating depression, boosting self-confidence, and enhancing your work performance. They are also essential in pain management . 

When stress is prevented or lowered in your body, your immune system gets a boost.

A healthy immune system prevents bacteria, viruses, and toxins from causing damage to your immune system. 

The immune system is the body’s first line of defense, and playing basketball helps to make it formidable. 

8. Promotes self-confidence

One of the important health benefits of basketball is psychological.

Let me explain.

You can extend progress made or lessons learned on the basketball pitch to certain areas of your life and improve on your self-confidence.

Basketball helps you to develop overall self-confidence. These skill sets give you much higher self-esteem while on or off the basketball court. 

One research tested the effect of basketball on the self-esteem of youths and adults alike.

It was recorded that twelve (12) weeks of basketball training have helped children gain a higher self-confidence level. 

Playing within a team of basketball players can also boost your self-confidence and level of concentration, both of which are needed as adults.

9. Encourages teamwork skills

The more you play basketball at a competitive level, the more your chances of positively interacting with people from different social settings.

You will learn to play well as you create skills and tricks when you play with more players on the court.

You and your teammates can always strive to be supportive and work together towards the final goal.

The values and team-built skills that you acquire are the types of skills that are of lifetime benefit.

They can help you in other sports, in your businesses, or even in your personal life.

10. Improves reflexes

Defense play in basketball has to do with you countering your opponent’s movements. The more you play, the sharper and faster your reflexes will be. 

You will be able to make quick and offensive moves that will get you past a defender.

With the help of reflexes, you would be able to catch a ball that would have likely hit you on your face. 

When it comes to improving in basketball, reflexes become an inevitable skill that is acquired.

When you are faster at reacting and making better decisions within split seconds, you become a better player all-around and even a better person in reality. 

Playing basketball benefits your health in several ways.

It is one of the most effective ways of burning calories, it improves your cardiovascular health, and much more. 

It is a fun game to play, and you should try it out if you look to improve your general health. 

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Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Basketball

We all know that playing sport is good for both mental and physical wellbeing.  And there is no better sport to get your fix of exercise than basketball .  It has everything from physical to mental stimulation.  In this article we delve further into how basketball can help with both physical and mental wellbeing.

Each side of a basketball team consists of five players. A game of two-on-two or three-on-three can also be played, or you can play on your own just shooting some hoops . Throughout the year, you can play basketball on indoor courts.

Whether you want to play basketball for fun or for competition, you can do so. In either case, it’s great for building strength, coordination, and muscular endurance. In addition, you’ll be able to join a team and become part of a broader community.

Check out the benefits of playing basketball for your physical, emotional, and social well-being. If you’re interested in picking up the game, you’ll also learn how to get started.

Health benefits of Basketball 

1. enhances muscular endurance.

In order to play basketball, you must be agile, strong, and stamina. It is necessary to use short-duration, high-intensity muscle contractions to move quickly and change directions.

In addition, you will need muscular endurance. Muscles have the ability to apply force repeatedly for a long period of time. Exercises that increase lower and upper body strength can help you increase your muscular endurance.

Additionally, you can strengthen your core muscles and your back muscles. In addition to improving your stamina and energy levels, this will also improve your performance.

2. Maintains bone health

It can be beneficial physically and mentally to play a team sport such as basketball. Researchers found that playing a team-based sport enhances bone strength, according to 2018 research.

A study found bone mineral density of handball and football players was higher than that of sedentary individuals.

3. Enhances coordination and balance

Basketball requires you to maintain your balance throughout the movements while developing hand-eye and foot coordination. Jumping, pivoting, and changing directions require quick body movements as you play.

Shooting, passing, and dribbling are some of the motor skills required for basketball. You will also learn defensive moves and rebounding techniques. You will be able to perform all of these movements more easily if you maintain a strong body.

4. Enhances fundamental movement skills

Youth can develop motor skills needed for development through basketball. Children need to learn fundamental movement skills by playing basketball, according to research from 2018.

As a result of playing basketball, you will become more coordinated, flexible, and strong. Besides speed and agility, it also promotes strength and power. Studies have shown that these skills promote a healthy weight and encourage more physical activity, which can boost self-confidence and cardiorespiratory fitness.

5. Enhances the composition of the body

According to a study published in 2018, playing basketball improves body composition. A three-month training program for street basketball was given to untrained men, which positively affected their body composition and fitness level. A reduction in body fat percentage and an increase in lean body mass were the results of the training.

6. Enhances the health of the heart

Maintaining a healthy heart and improving fitness levels can be achieved through regular physical activity. Based on research from 2019, basketball can improve cardiorespiratory fitness by increasing resting heart rates. Cardiovascular diseases are less likely to develop when this occurs.

Emotional benefits of Basketball

7. enhances self-confidence.

As you discover your voice and learn more about yourself in a new situation, you may develop self-confidence. As a team, members can motivate, encourage, and support each other. Positive growth can also be achieved through pointing out areas that require improvement.

The confidence you gain from success on the court can carry over into your other aspects of life.

8. Lowers stress

The hormone endorphins, which are responsible for creating a feeling of happiness, are released during physical activity. You may experience a mood boost, relaxation, and pain reduction after consuming endorphins. As well as alleviating depression, boosting self-esteem, and improving work performance, they can also improve your overall mood.

Concentration is also honed while playing basketball by staying focused on the game. The practice of mindfulness or present-moment awareness can also benefit you. You may be able to use these tools to deal with anxiety in other areas of your life as well.

Social benefits of Basketball

9. promotes teamwork.

Teamwork and community are fostered through basketball. As a result, you could be able to meet people from diverse backgrounds, broadening your horizons.

As a bonus, you’ll gain the ability to play fairly and graciously no matter how well you do. Providing positive role models for each other can be a goal of your teammates and you.

10. Enhances communication skills

Communicating verbally and nonverbally with your teammates may teach you new skills. Your teammates will have the opportunity to speak with you.

A game or practice will most likely be preceded by time for communication before, during, and after. It doesn’t matter whether you learn to speak up or keep quiet more often, having positive communication skills will benefit you on the field, in your personal life, and in your career.

A guide to getting started

With its accessibility to people of all ages and abilities, basketball is a great sport for everyone. There are several ways to start playing basketball if you or your child are interested.

Get involved in a local team or league if you want to play competitive basketball. See if there are any athletic or basketball clubs or associations in your area. Shooting hoops with a few friends or on your own is an informal way to play basketball.

The following basketball drills and practice ideas will help you improve your game.

A basketball and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes are all you’ll need once you find a court. A basketball shoe designed specifically for the sport is helpful, but it is not necessary. There are a number of safety gear options available, including mouth guards, knee pads, elbow pads, ankle braces, and knee braces. Protective eyewear and athletic tape can also be used.

In the event that you are a new fitness enthusiast or have a medical condition that affects your performance, talk to your doctor. A doctor should be consulted if you suffer from injuries , especially in your shoulders, hands, or lower body.

How often should one play basketball to reap its health benefits? 

A minimum of 150 minutes of basketball practice per week is recommended for health benefits.

Can basketball help with weight loss? 

Yes, basketball can be an effective activity for weight loss. As a result of the high energy expenditure involved in the game and the continuous movement involved, calories are burned and fat is burned. A balanced diet should always be maintained though. 

Is basketball suitable for all age groups? 

Despite the fact that basketball can be enjoyed by people of all ages, it is important to take into account one’s fitness level and any preexisting health problems. Before beginning any new exercise regimen, it is best to consult with a healthcare professional.

What safety measures should be taken while playing basketball? 

Basketball safety depends on wearing appropriate footwear and protective gear, warming up before the game, staying hydrated, and following the rules and regulations.

Can basketball be played indoors as well? 

Yes, basketball can be played both indoors and outdoors. Outdoor basketball is played on concrete or asphalt courts, while indoor basketball is usually played in gymnasiums.

Final Thoughts

Staying active and in shape is easy with basketball. The intensity of the game can be moderate or strenuous. Strengthening, extending, and gaining endurance can be achieved on the courts by spending some time there.

When you jump , pivot, and twist, you’ll learn how to move your body differently. As well as connecting with fitness-minded individuals, you’ll develop your teamwork skills.

Whether it’s a pick-up game in the neighborhood a league , or a weekend tournament, basketball is enjoyable to people of all ages and skill levels. As you progress in your path, you’ll certainly gain satisfaction, and the most important thing is that you’ll have fun.

Medical Information

Health Benefits of Basketball

Basketball is a high-energy sport that can provide a number of physical and mental health benefits. Here are some of the potential benefits of playing basketball:

Improved cardiovascular health: Basketball is a cardiovascular workout that can help improve your endurance, reduce your risk of heart disease, and lower your blood pressure.

Stronger muscles: Playing basketball can help build and strengthen your muscles, particularly in your legs, core, and upper body.

Improved coordination and balance: The quick movements and agility required in basketball can help improve your coordination and balance.

Stress relief: Participating in physical activity, such as basketball, can help reduce stress and improve your overall mental health.

Social interaction: Basketball is a team sport, which means it provides an opportunity for social interaction and can help improve your social skills and relationships.

It's important to note that basketball, like any sport, carries a risk of injury. To minimize the risk of injury, it's important to warm up properly before playing and to wear appropriate protective gear, such as a mouthguard and knee pads.

On the Article

Krish Tangella MD, MBA

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Top 10 Health Benefits of Basketball

Whether you are out shooting hoops by yourself, playing a game of pick-up basketball or on an elite competitive team, basketball is a great way to get fit and stay in shape. In fact, even President Barack Obama plays the game on a daily basis as part of his fitness regimen. Below, we’ve listed a few reasons why playing the game of basketball could help you stay healthy and fit along with links to a few basketball essentials you may need.

Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic :

• Burns calories:  Running, jumping and quick lateral movements done in basketball provide a significant amount of aerobic exercise and can burn a great deal of calories. For each hour of competitive basketball, a 165-pound person can expect to burn around 600 calories, while a 250-pound person can burn up to 900 calories.
• Great for cardiovascular health:  Basketball can help you develop cardiovascular endurance, depending on how many times play stops. Keep moving and you’ll keep your heart rate up. Building endurance can help keep your heart healthy, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke later in life.
• Develops concentration and self-discipline:  Like every other sport, basketball has rules to follow, and breaking them can result in penalties not just for you, but for your team. Practicing self-discipline helps one become more competitive yet fair and clean in their game and focused in succeeding.
• Builds bone strength:  Jumping and other physical demands of basketball help develop and improve bone health. The stronger your bones, the less likely they are to break. Weight-bearing physical activity causes new bone tissue to form, making bones stronger. Bones and muscles both become stronger when muscles push and tug against bones during physical activity.

• Better motor skills and coordination:  Free-throw shooting and jump-shooting are particularly helpful for training hand-eye coordination. Rebounding missed shots is another skill that requires a great degree of full-body coordination. The third basic basketball skill, dribbling, requires a finer degree of coordination. When first learning basketball, dribbling trains the hand-eye coordination; once that skilled is mastered, a player will no longer look at the ball while dribbling and the skill will become a pure motor coordination task.
• Strength training: Basketball provides an excellent full-body workout and can help develop useful, lean muscle. In this physically intensive contact sport, basketball players are highly reliant on effective body positioning and the ability to maintain that position when an opponent is pushing against him. Playing good defensive basketball can develop your deltoids, traps, neck, lower back and core muscles. Strong legs aid in shooting and running, while the finer movements such as dribbling and shooting are good for strengthening your arms, wrist flexors and hand muscles.
• Improves spatial awareness:  Spatial awareness is knowing where your body is in space and time. Ever wonder why a cat always lands on its feet? Body awareness. It helps keep you in balance.

• Mental development: Basketball requires a wide range of physical skills, but it is also a fast-paced mental game. Research on the mental aspects of basketball has revealed that players must develop a great deal of attention to quickly and accurately process what’s happening on the court and make effective decisions with the ball and on defense. During a fast-paced game, you must train yourself to constantly observe your teammates and opponents and evaluate what course of action to take in response to their actions. This can translate to helping you make quick decisions on the job and in other real-life situations.
• Reduces stress and boosts the immune system:  Decreasing your stress will help you focus and have more energy to complete tasks .  Playing basketball and other sports helps reduce stress and gives players the opportunity to socialize. People who are social are less likely to have depression, and also tend to have a stronger immune system.
• Enhances confidence:  Basketball truly improves anyone’s confidence. Making good shots and being a part of a good team can increase your self-esteem and help gain more confidence. A confident person has more faith in his or her skills and can face life with a better disposition.

Health Fitness Revolution by Samir Becic Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, to make the world a healthier, fitter place, please donate!

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[…] Whether you are out shooting hoops by yourself, playing a game of pick-up basketball or on an elite competitive team, basketball is a great way to get fit and stay in shape. In fact, even President Barack Obama plays the game on a daily basis as part of his fitness regimen. Below, we’ve listed a few  […]

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It’s interesting that basketball can actually help you practice self-discipline, and make you more competitive. A friend of mine is trying to get his wife to let him install a court on his property. Since his kids are still young, they would be able to use it when they grew up. http://www.backyardcourts.net/

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7 Benefits of Playing Basketball (Physical, Mental and Social )

Playing sports has lots of advantages and it comes with no surprise that there are several benefits of playing Basketball that we should all take into consideration.

The benefits of playing basketball do not just mean physical benefits but also mental and emotional ones. As compared to other games which require the use of physical strength and body endurance, basketball demands a lot from its players.

Players will become psychologically strong to cope up with the physical strain that this sport puts on its players.

What can Basketball teach you?

In this article, we will go through the health benefits that can help improve your physical well-being, motivate you to become an extraordinary athlete and develop your decision-making and concentration skills.

What are the Physical Benefits of Basketball?

1. strengthens your bones.

Basketball not only helps develop your game, but it’s also great for strengthening your bones. It develops a lot of body strength because you use your entire body to play.

According to research by the National Institute of Health , sports such as handball and basketball can help develop stronger bones. In fact, a group of elderly players had remarkably greater bone mineral density compared to players of their same age but also younger ones.

As you exercise to increase your basketball abilities, keep in mind that, of course, the more you do, the stronger your bones will become. Start with some easy exercises that focus on those major muscles.

2. Improves Your Coordination And Balance

There are many ways that basketball can improve your coordination and balance. For instance, one of the elements that you’ll develop when playing basketball is the coordination hand-eye as well as foot coordination.

During the game, you’ll need to pay attention to your movements, to the parts of your body moving quickly, and therefore, you’ll develop better body coordination and balance.

3. Build Up Your Endurance

Basketball has been proven to increase a person’s endurance and it will definitely do that for you. In fact, as a basketball player, you’ll improve your strength, endurance, and more through rigorous basketball training.

Endurance is the ability to repeat the applied force for an extended amount of time and you’ll increase it when playing basketball and using both your lower and upper body strength.

According to a report by the National Institute of Health , physical activities such as basketball and tennis will keep you healthy longer, improve your heart’s health as well as lungs and circulatory system.

To sum up, if you want to remain healthy, be more fit, and even lose weight with more gained endurance, this is all you will get playing basketball. Remember, if you want to build up your endurance, basketball will do that for you.

What are the Mental Benefits of Basketball?

Basketball improves mental health in several different ways. In fact, basketball involves moving your body from side to side, jumping, and throwing the ball with tremendous energy and velocity.

Being related to that exercise there are specific mental health benefits of playing basketball and they can be beneficial to our daily lives. Let’s go through the main details here below.

4. Help your mental health

First of all , basketball improves self-confidence as it helps perform better in competition. It will improve concentration, which is the basis of self-confidence because you have to keep your mind focused and avoid negative thoughts.

Secondly , it can lower your stress levels. Basketball, and physical activity in general, will release endorphins which are essentially happiness hormones and can boost your mood. Other than that, endorphins promote relaxation, reduce depression, and even boost your self-esteem. Overall, these are all factors to decrease your stress levels.

Moreover , it will eventually help you remain mentally healthy. Of course, basketball is a physical game but it will help you keep healthy in general. With less stress and anxiety, higher endorphin levels, and make players stronger mentally as a whole.

To sum up, mental health is one of the benefits of playing basketball that shouldn’t be underrated.

What are the Social Benefits of Basketball?

Other than mental and physical benefits of playing basketball, there are also social ones that must be taken into consideration.

From interacting with other team players to helping to make important decisions during and after the game, these are only some of the benefits of physical activity.

Let’s go through the best social benefits of playing basketball.

5. Teach You To Be A Team Player

With 12 players on each basketball team, it is clear that you will become a better team player. During a match, you’ll need to interact with other players and pass the ball regardless of their background, their perspective, and anything else.

Also, you will need to play fairly and be supportive with all team members no matter what the game outcome is and that is simply a positive side to join a Basketball team.

In plain words, learning the fundamentals of basketball will help you become a better team player.

6. Improve Your Communication Skills

Another incredibly efficient benefit of playing Basketball is that you will be able to improve your communication skills. Of course, this comes as no surprise since talking to all team members is mandatory.

The more you interact and talk to other players, the better you will communicate yourself.

Whether you’ll communicate before a game, during the match, or after victory or failure, you’ll slowly learn when to talk, when to give your opinion, and when to stay silent.

Moreover, communication skills are important to make better decisions in life and at work, to coordinate yourself better with future friends and colleagues, but also to improve managerial efficiency.

Last but not least, since listening to other members is also incredibly important, you’ll also develop your listening skills which, needless to say, is something to consider.

7. Teach You Time Management And Decision Making

Time management and decision-making are important aspects of life on both professional and personal sides. Basketball can be an eye-opening sport that will teach you both.

For instance, as a future manager in a company, it is important to know how to prioritize your tasks, delegate to team members, set goals and targets, think about strategies, and solving problems.

On top of that, making the right decisions will help you in your life as well as on the basketball camp. Just like time management, it will teach you reasoning, teamwork, and even leadership on some occasions.

All these are the benefits of playing basketball that will be beneficial to your life, your future, and at work.

As a result, the importance of basketball within your future professional and private lives cannot be stressed enough.

Our Take On Basketball’s Benefits

These were the main benefits of playing basketball that you should know. What we find so beneficial with basketball is the fact to have fun while being in a competition and at the same time improve both our mental and physical health.

To conclude, play basketball on a weekly basis to strengthen your bones, build up your endurance, make you mentally stronger, and eventually improve your communication and time management skills to guarantee yourself a better future.

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The Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Playing Basketball

In this article, we will take a look at the physical and mental health benefits of playing basketball. 

Basketball is a great sport to play if you want to improve your health. Basketball is not only a fun sport, but it also has several positive health effects. Playing basketball can aid in health problem prevention. In addition, it provides you with various practical advantages that enhance your general well-being, such as: encouraging the growth of muscle, enhancing eye-hand coordination, and encouraging values of cooperation.

Physical Health Benefits:

Improve the heart condition.

Basketball is a fantastic sport to play if you’re concerned about your heart’s health. When in possession of the ball, running up and down the court gets the heart pumping. In the end, this enhances general fitness levels and heart health. According to one study, different exercise methods can improve cardiorespiratory. Circuit training is one of these training methods. Circuit training is a set of exercises that are performed in a specific order. Push-ups, bench crunches, skipping, squatting, jumping over the bench, thrust squats, and other exercises may be included. Basketball is a great way to stay active and increase your endurance. This provides an opportunity to assess the heart’s overall health. By doing this, you can lower your risk of developing a heart condition or stroke in the future. 

Enhances Muscle Stamina

Basketball players must have strength, stamina, and agility. High-intensity, brief muscular contractions are required for rapid movement and direction shift. Muscular endurance, or the capacity for muscles to exert force repeatedly over a lengthy period of time, will also be necessary. Playing basketball and doing workouts to strengthen your lower and upper body will help you develop your muscular endurance.

You may also concentrate on building up the muscles in your back and core. Your endurance, energy, levels, and performance will all benefit from this.

Constructs Strong Bones

The benefits to your physical and mental health of participating in a team activity like basketball are distinct. Playing a team sport has a beneficial impact on bone strength, according to research from 2018 Trusted Source. In comparison to inactive individuals, people who played handball and football had higher bone mineral densities.

Enhances Coordination and Balance

Basketball requires good footwork, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to maintain balance while moving. To jump, pivot, or change directions while playing, your body must move quickly.

Basketball requires the use of your motor skills for dribbling , passing, and shooting. Additionally, you’ll hone your defensive and rebounding strategies. If you maintain a strong body, you will be able to perform each of these exercises with more ease.

Increases Calorie Burning

You may be sure that you will expend a lot of calories throughout every hour of basketball. You don’t want to consume too many calories and not expend them. There could be some health issues as a result of this. A 165-pound person will most likely burn 600 calories playing basketball for an hour. Additionally, a person who weighs roughly 250 pounds can burn around 900 calories in the same amount of time. An aerobic workout that burns calories is provided by all the quick side-to-side motions, dribbling, running, jumping, and other activities. 

Improves Body Composition

In a 2018 study, scientists discovered that playing basketball improved overall body composition. In this study, untrained males trained in street basketball for three months, which had a favourable impact on their general fitness and physiques. The men’s lean body mass increased and their abdominal fat percentage decreased after the workout.

Improves Fundamental Movement Skills

Youth can practice the motor skills required for development by playing basketball. According to research published in 2018, basketball is an effective way for kids to develop the basic movement skills they need.

Basketball is a great sport for developing endurance, flexibility, and motor coordination. Additionally, it fosters strength, agility, and quickness. These abilities are demonstrated to have a favourable impact on encouraging a healthy body weight and more physical exercise, which can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and self-esteem.

Mental Health Benefits:

Helps one become more confident.

As you find your voice and discover more about who you are in a new environment, you can grow more self-assured. Members of a team can assist, inspire, and encourage one another. They can also highlight regions that require development, which might result in progress.

Your life may change as a result of your success on the court, and you might discover that you now have renewed confidence in your skills and abilities.

Makes Stress Low

The hormones that make us feel good or happy, known as endorphins, are released when we exercise. Endorphins have been shown to improve mood, induce relaxation, and lessen pain. They can also improve your job performance, lower depression, and raise your self-esteem.

By focusing on the game while playing basketball, you can improve your ability to concentrate. Additionally, this might support the growth of mindfulness or in-the-moment awareness. You might find that using these methods helps you manage your anxiety in other aspects of your life.

Enhance your Mood

Playing basketball is a terrific way to stay active while having fun at the same time, which can help with depression and anxiety .

Helps to Become More Focused and Disciplined

The finest sport to improve focus and discipline is basketball, according to famous basketball coach Chandrakant Basa. He suggests exercises that can aid in improving players’ focus, including the two-ball dribble and 1 on 1 Closeout.

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• Basketball Essay

Essay on Basketball

Basketball is a widely popular and loved sport that is played all around the world. An essay on basketball would be incomplete without the mention of its smart moves and team-building benefits. Basketball is believed to have originated in Canada and the United States of America in the 19th century. There are several health benefits of playing basketball and it is an extremely fun physical activity. In this informative essay about basketball, the various benefits of playing basketball are discussed.

An Essay on Basketball and its Benefits 

While penning down the short paragraph about basketball this needs to be mentioned that when basketball is played, it is meant to be a source of joy and pleasure among its players. The aim of the play is to pass the ball through the basket which is hung on some height. Basketball can be a game between two individuals or, in the case of professional games, it is played between two opposing teams consisting of five players in each team. The score is determined by hitting the basket of each other’s teams. 

Due to the demand for heavy physicality from its players, basketball is highly favored. In this essay on basketball, the several health benefits of playing this sport are discussed:

Basketball is essential in promoting cardiovascular health among its players. It is immensely helpful for one’s heart health. Due to the game’s constant locomotion, the heart rate shows an increase. Thus, basketball lowers the risk of stroke and other heart diseases. 

Basketball is supremely effective in burning calories. Due to its constant, quick movements of running and jumping, basketball acts as a great way of working out and can drastically burn calories. 

Basketball strengthens the bones of its players. Due to the game’s primary dependence on physical energy, basketball results in bone strength among its players. The players’ muscles and bones get strengthened because of the game’s constant action of working muscles against the bones. 

One of the key health benefits which come from playing basketball is boosted immunity and reduced stress. Due to the busy nature of the game, the levels of stress among the players get reduced quite significantly. And with this decreased level of stress, the immune system gets boosted.

The dedicated practice of basketball develops better coordination among its players and improves their motor skills. The nature of basketball demands its players for excellent hand-eye and full-body coordination. Due to continuous training, the players develop their full-body coordination as well as their hand-eye coordination through the practises of dribbling and rebound shots.

Therefore, the health benefits of playing basketball are evident in the physical and mental fitness of the player. Apart from improving one’s overall health and height, the sport also develops fast-thinking abilities, reflex, and team spirit in youngsters.   

Basketball Experience Essay: Tournaments and Players

Now coming to the top basketball tournaments, an essay on basketball is simply incomplete without the mention of these names:

Basketball World Cup

Basketball at the Olympics

American tournaments like NBA, Argentine League LNB

Italian League

Spanish ACB league

To get a full-on understanding of the game and write down a basketball experience essay, one must watch these tournaments. The pace of the tournaments is such that one will automatically grow an addiction towards them. Then, if he is asked to write a basketball descriptive essay he will be able to write it easily.

Basketball essay writing becomes a cakewalk for someone who has grown up watching legends like Kobe Bryant playing the game with elan. The American sportsman spent his entire career playing for Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association. He breathed his last on 26th January 2020. He took the popularity of the sport to a different level and will be remembered for generations to come. 

Finally, if any of the important basketball essay topics are often left out then it has to be- ‘The Famous Indian Basketball Players.’ This basketball essay in English doesn’t do that. It humbly acknowledges the contribution of the famous Indian basketball players like Sat Prasad Yadav, Akilan Pari, and Prashanti Singh. They have made it really big over the years and continue to inspire millions of basketball players from all across the country. 

An Essay on My Favourite Game - Basketball

Basketball is a widely popular game that is played by several people all across the globe. In this section of basketball essay topics, the topics which will be discussed are the benefits of basketball in a person’s physical and mental health. There are several ways a person can benefit from playing basketball and those benefits are discussed in this basketball introduction essay.

The Basketball Essay in Short

Numerous physical and mental benefits result from playing basketball. Basketball is highly effective in promoting the cardiovascular health of its players. A healthy heart diminishes risks of heart diseases later in one’s life. Basketball’s high physical demand is crucial in burning calories and reducing body fat in its players.

Basketball also strengthens the bones due to the constant friction of muscles against them. It improves the immune system of the body and is effective in increasing players’ self-esteem.

Therefore, this is a complete essay on basketball in English which throws light on the game’s health benefits as well as how it helps to shape the entire personality of a player. 

FAQs on Basketball Essay

1. What is the Highest Governing Body in Basketball?

FIBA ( International Basketball Federation) is the highest governing body in basketball.  

2. Name Some of the Famous Basketball Players in the World. 

Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Late Kobe Bryant are some of the famous basketball players of all time. 

3. Which Court is Considered as the Main Court in Basketball- The Outdoor Court or the Indoor Court?

In basketball, the indoor court is considered as the main court while the game played on the outdoor court is often called street ball. 

4. What are the health benefits of playing basketball? 

Playing basketball results in countless health benefits from burning calories to improving heart health by lowering the risk of getting a stroke. But a great cardiovascular health isn’t the only amazing health benefit playing this sport provides. It also strengthens one’s bones as well as muscles. It also leads to boosting of one’s immune system. And like engaging in almost any other sport or exercise, playing basketball has also shown to reduce the stress levels of its players quite conspicuously. This way, playing basketball also has a positive effect on not only one’s physical health, but their mental health as well.  

5. Who are some of the most famous basketball players? How does this sport shape the personality of its players?

Some of the most famous and highly respected basketball players include LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Satnam Singh, Amritpal Singh, and Prashanti Singh to name a few. 

Basketball tends to mould and shape the personality of the players just as much as it improves their physical and mental health. There are a lot of values, ethical beliefs, and other such aspects from the game that one can even apply to their everyday life like sportsmanship, teamwork, confidence, etc. 

6. What are some interesting facts about basketball? 

Initially, as the sport started, dribbling was not allowed at all and if a player got the - ball at a point and they compulsorily had to throw it to another player and continue the game like that. 

A physical education teacher, James Naismith, is the one who invented this sport and also wrote down the very first, the official rulebook of basketball.  

Michael Jordan wore his signature Air Jordans, his favorite shoes, by paying a fine as these shoes went against the guidelines of the NBA dress code. 

At the very beginning of it all, basketball was actually played with a soccer ball and a peach basket. 

7. What are some important rules of basketball? 

Some basic yet key rules of the game are: 

Each team is supposed to have 5 players present on the court at all times during the game. 

In order to win, a team has to score more field goals than the opponent team.

A player is not allowed to run with the ball; a player is only supposed to advance the ball by dribbling or passing and if a player stops dribbling, they have to either pass it or shoot it, not resume dribbling. 

There are quite a lot of fouls in the game and elbowing, blocking, tripping or knocking someone off, are some of the most common ones. 

To inbound the ball, the offense only has 5 seconds. 

Defenders are not allowed to interfere with a shot that is on a downward trajectory. In fact, this is considered to be illegal and is known as goaltending as it grants an automatic field goal to the offence then.

Both the ball handler as well as the ball have to remain within the boundaries of the court at all times. 

The defending team is legally allowed to block or steal the ball from the offending team and they can even use defensive tactics to prevent the latter from shooting and/or scoring. 

Each team has only a limited period of time during a given possession to shoot the ball. While in the NBA, this time limit is 24 seconds, in the NCCA, it is about 30 seconds. 

8. How does Vedantu encourage students to study?

One of the most popular and modern features of Vedantu is its one-on-one live interaction amongst the teacher and their students. As it is known, learning and studying by yourself with the help of the internet, and doing that in the presence of a teaching expert are two majorly different things with the latter being way more effective. This live interaction lets students communicate their thoughts and ideas more smoothly and also helps with the doubt-solving more easily. This social structure within Vedantu is one of the main ways through which it pushes students to study and speak their minds out loud. This is why Vedantu is a highly recommended portal for students to brighten their future. 

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Basketball — Benefits of Playing Basketball: Injury Prevention and Risks

Benefits of Playing Basketball: Injury Prevention and Risks

• Categories: Basketball Physical Exercise

About this sample

Words: 984 |

Published: Aug 4, 2023

Words: 984 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Injuries from playing basketball, injury prevention during basketball.

• Bianchi, R., Mamo, C., Riva, D., & Rocca, F. (2016). Proprioceptive Training and Injury Prevention in a Professional Men's Basketball Team: A Six-Year Prospective Study. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(2), 461475.doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001097.
• Hagel, B., Meeuwisse, W. H., & Sellmer, R. E. (2003). Rates and Risks of Injury during Intercollegiate Basketball. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(3), 379–385.

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Physical Activity and Sports—Real Health Benefits: A Review with Insight into the Public Health of Sweden

Christer malm.

1 Sports Medicine Unit, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden; [email protected]

Johan Jakobsson

Andreas isaksson.

2 Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Solna, Sweden; [email protected]

Positive effects from sports are achieved primarily through physical activity, but secondary effects bring health benefits such as psychosocial and personal development and less alcohol consumption. Negative effects, such as the risk of failure, injuries, eating disorders, and burnout, are also apparent. Because physical activity is increasingly conducted in an organized manner, sport’s role in society has become increasingly important over the years, not only for the individual but also for public health. In this paper, we intend to describe sport’s physiological and psychosocial health benefits, stemming both from physical activity and from sport participation per se. This narrative review summarizes research and presents health-related data from Swedish authorities. It is discussed that our daily lives are becoming less physically active, while organized exercise and training increases. Average energy intake is increasing, creating an energy surplus, and thus, we are seeing an increasing number of people who are overweight, which is a strong contributor to health problems. Physical activity and exercise have significant positive effects in preventing or alleviating mental illness, including depressive symptoms and anxiety- or stress-related disease. In conclusion, sports can be evolving, if personal capacities, social situation, and biological and psychological maturation are taken into account. Evidence suggests a dose–response relationship such that being active, even to a modest level, is superior to being inactive or sedentary. Recommendations for healthy sports are summarized.

1. Introduction

Sport is a double-edged sword regarding effects on health. Positive effects are achieved primarily through physical activity, which is the main part of most sports. Many secondary effects of sport also bring health benefits, such as psychosocial development of both young [ 1 ] and old [ 2 ], personal development [ 3 ], later onset, and less consumption of alcohol [ 4 , 5 ]. Finally, those who play sports have a higher level of physical activity later in life [ 6 ], and through sport, knowledge of nutrition, exercise, and health can be developed [ 7 ]. Negative effects include the risk of failure leading to poor mental health [ 8 , 9 ], risk of injury [ 10 , 11 ], eating disorders [ 12 ], burnout [ 13 ], and exercise-induced gastrointestinal tract discomfort [ 14 ]. In sport, there are unfortunately also reports of physical and psychological abuse [ 15 ]. Negative aspects are more common in elite-level sports, where there is a fine balance between maximum performance and negative health. A somewhat unexpected effect of sport participation is that people submitting to planned training in some cases perform less physical activity compared to those who are exercising without a set schedule. One explanation can be a reduced spontaneous physical activity in the latter group [ 16 ]. Because physical activity is increasingly executed in an organized manner [ 17 , 18 , 19 ], sport’s role in society has become increasingly important over the years, not only for the individual but also for public health.

In this paper, we describe the health effects of sport from a physiological and psychological perspective, related both to physical activity and added values of sport per se. Initially, brief definitions of various concepts related to physical activity and health are given. This is then followed by: (1) A brief description of how physical activity and training affect our body from a physiological perspective; (2) a report on the health effects of physical activity and training; and (3) sport’s specific influences on the various dimensions of health. We chose to discuss the subject from an age-related perspective, separating children/adolescents, adults, and the elderly, as well as separating for sex in each age group.

2. Definitions of Physical Activity, Exercise, Training, Sport, and Health

Definitions and terms are based on “Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of disease” (FYSS, www.fyss.se [Swedish] [ 20 ]), World Health Organization (WHO) [ 21 ] and the US Department of Human Services [ 22 ]. The definition of physical activity in FYSS is: “Physical activity is defined purely physiologically, as all body movement that increases energy use beyond resting levels”. Health is defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) as: “[…] a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” [ 21 ].

Physical activity can occur spontaneously (leisure/work/transport) or organized and be divided according to purpose: Physical exercise is aimed primarily at improving health and physical capacity. Physical training is aimed primarily at increasing the individual’s maximum physical capacity and performance [ 23 ]. Physical inactivity is described as the absence of body movement, when energy consumption approximates resting levels. People who do not meet recommendations for physical activity are considered physically inactive and are sometimes called “sedentary”. Sport can be organized by age, sex, level of ambition, weight or other groupings [ 24 ]. Sport can also be spontaneous [ 7 , 17 ] and defined as a subset of exercises undertaken individually or as a part of a team, where participants have a defined goal [ 7 ]. General recommendations for physical activity are found in Table 1 , not considering everyday activities. One can meet the daily recommendations for physical activity by brief, high-intensity exercise, and remaining physically inactive for the rest of the day, thereby creating a “polarization” of physical activity: Having a high dose of conscious physical training, despite having a low energy expenditure in normal life due to high volumes of sedentary time. Polarization of physical activity may lead to increased risk of poor health despite meeting the recommendations for physical activity [ 25 , 26 , 27 ]. During most of our lives, energy expenditure is greater in normal daily life than in sport, physical training, and exercise, with the exceptions of children and the elderly, where planned physical activity is more important [ 28 ].

Recommendations regarding physical activity for different target groups. Note that additional health effects can be achieved if, in addition to these recommendations, the amount of physical activity increases, either by increasing the intensity or duration or a combination of both.

Compiled from FYSS 2017 ( www.fyss.se ) and WHO 2017 ( www.who.int ).

3. Aerobic and Muscle-Strengthening Physical Activity

Physical activity is categorized according to FYSS as: (1) Aerobic physical activity and (2) muscle-strengthening physical activity. Physical activity in everyday life and exercise training is mainly an aerobic activity, where a majority of energy production occurs via oxygen-dependent pathways. Aerobic physical activity is the type of activity typically associated with stamina, fitness, and the biggest health benefits [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Muscle-strengthening physical activity is referred to in everyday language as “strength training” or “resistance training” and is a form of physical exercise/training that is primarily intended to maintain or improve various forms of muscle strength and increase or maintain muscle mass [ 32 ]. Sometimes, another category is defined: Muscle-enhancing physical activity, important for maintenance or improvement of coordination and balance, especially in the elderly [ 33 ]. According to these definitions, muscle-strengthening activities primarily involve the body’s anaerobic (without oxygen) energy systems, proportionally more as intensity increases.

Exercise intensity can be expressed in absolute or relative terms. Absolute intensity means the physical work (for example; Watts [W], kg, or metabolic equivalent [MET]), while relative intensity is measured against the person’s maximum capacity or physiology (for example; percentage of maximum heart rate (%HR), rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE), W·kg −1 or relative oxygen uptake in L·min −1 ·kg −1 (VO 2 )). In terms of recommendations to the public, as in Table 1 , the intensity is often described in subjective terms (“makes you breathe harder” for moderate intensity, and “makes you puff and pant” for vigorous intensity) [ 27 ]. While objective criteria such as heart rate and accelerometry will capture the intensity of activity, they may not distinguish between different types of physical activity behaviors [ 34 ]. FYSS defines low intensity as 20%–39% of VO 2 max, <40 %HR, 1.5–2.9 METs; moderate intensity as 40%–59% of VO 2 max, 60–74 %HR, 3.0–5.9 METs, and vigorous intensity as 60%–89% of VO 2 max, 75–94 %HR, 6.0–8.9 METs. Absolute intensity, however, can vary greatly between individuals where a patient with heart disease may have a maximal capacity of <3 MET, and an elite athlete >20 MET [ 35 ].

4. How does the Body Adapt to Physical Activity and Training?

Adaption to physical activity and training is a complex physiological process, but may, in the context of this paper, be simplified by a fundamental basic principle:” The general adaptation syndrome (GAS)” [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. This principle assumes that physical activity disturbs the body’s physiological balance, which the body then seeks to restore, all in a dose-related response relationship. The overload principle states that if exercise intensity is too low, overload is not reached to induce desired physiological adaptations, whereas an intensity too high will result in fatigue and possibly overtraining. Thus, for adaptation to occur, greater than normal stress must be induced, interspersed with sufficient recovery periods for restoration of physiological balance [ 39 ]. During and immediately after physical exercise/training, functions of affected tissues and systems are impaired, manifested as temporarily decreased performance. You feel tired. In order to gradually improve performance capacity, repeated cycles of adequate overload and recovery are required [ 40 ]. In practice, positive effects can be seen after a relatively short period of a few weeks, but more substantial improvements if the training is maintained for a longer period.

As a rule of thumb, it is assumed that all people can adapt to physical activity and exercise, but the degree of adaptation depends on many factors, including age, heredity, the environment, and diet [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. The hereditary factor (genetics) may be the most critical for adaptation [ 45 ]. The degree of adaptation also depends on how the person in question trained previously; a well-trained athlete usually does not have the same relative improvement as an untrained one. Even if training is thought to be specific to mode, intensity, and duration, there are some overlaps. For example, it has been found that strength training in some individuals contributes to a relatively large positive impact on health and endurance, effects previously associated primarily with aerobic exercise [ 46 , 47 ]. The overload principle may, if applied too vigorously in relation to a person’s individual adaptation ability, have detrimental effects, including reduced performance, injury, overtraining, and disease [ 10 ]. Training is a commodity that must be renewed; otherwise, you gradually lose achieved performance improvements [ 48 ], although some capacities, such as muscle memory, seem to persist for life [ 49 ].

General recommendations for health may be stated, but individual predispositions make general training schedules for specific performance effects unpredictable. All exercise training should be adjusted to individual purposes, goals, and circumstances.

5. Health Effects of Physical Activity and Training

Human biology requires a certain amount of physical activity to maintain good health and wellbeing. Biological adaption to life with less physical activity would take many generations. People living today have, more or less, the same requirements for physical activity as 40,000 years ago [ 50 , 51 ]. For an average man with a body weight of 70 kg, this corresponds to about 19 km daily walking in addition to everyday physical activity [ 52 ]. For most people, daily physical activity decreases, while planned, conscious exercise and training increases [ 19 , 53 ]. Unfortunately, average daily energy intake is increasing more than daily energy output, creating an energy surplus. This is one reason for the increasing number of overweight people, and a strong contributor to many health problems [ 54 ]. More sedentary living (not reaching recommended level of physical activity), combined with increased energy intake, impairs both physical and mental capabilities and increases the risk of disease. Despite this, Swedes (as an example) seemed to be as physically active and stressed but had better general health in 2015, compared to 2004 ( Figure 1 ). Compared to 2004–2007, the Swedish population in 2012–2015 reported better overall health (more county-dots are blue) and less fatigue (smaller county-dots) with similar level of physical activity (~65% indicated at least 30 min daily physical activity) and stress (~13% were stressed).

Selected physical and mental health indicators of a Sweden cohort, in relation to the degree of physical activity for the period of years 2004–2007 ( N = 29,254) and years 2012–2015 ( N = 38,553). Surveyed subjects are age 16 to 84 years old, with data representing median scores of four years, not normalized for age. Y-axis: Percentage of subjects reporting “stressed”; X-axis: Percentage of subjects indicating physical active at least 30 minutes each day. Each dot represents one County (Län), dot-size indicates self-reported fatigue, and color self-reported healthiness of the County. If 70% of the population states they are having “Good/Very good” health, the dot is blue. If less than 70% states they are having good/very good health, the dot is red. The circle indicated with a black arrow corresponds to nation median. The black line connected to the nation circle represents the movement in the X–Y plane from the year 2004 to 2007, and from 2012 to 2015, respectively. Data retrieved from the Public Health Agency of Sweden 2019-04-22 ( www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se ).

Results in Figure 1 may in part be explained by a polarization of who is physically active: Some individuals are extremely active, others very inactive, giving a similar central tendency (mean/median). As physical activity and mental stress are not changed, but health is, the figure indicates that other factors must be more important to our overall health and fatigue. Recently, a national study of Swedish 11- to 15-year-olds concluded that this age group is inactive for most of their time awake, that is, sitting, standing or moving very little [ 55 ]. Time as inactive increased with age, from 67 percent for 11-year-olds to 75 percent for 15-year-olds. The study states that in all age groups, the inactive time is evenly distributed over the week, with school time, leisure time, and weekend. Further, those who feel school-related stress have more inactive time, both overall and during school hours, than those who have less school-related stress.

People active in sports have, in general, better health than those who do not participate in sports, because they are physically and mentally prepared for the challenges of sports, abilities that in many cases can be transferred to other parts of life [ 56 ].

However, there is a certain bias in this statement. Sport practitioners are already positively selected, because sickness and injury may prevent participation. As many health benefits of sport are related to the level of physical activity, separation of sport and physical exercise may be problematic. Regardless, societal benefits of these health effects can be seen in lower morbidity, healthier elderly, and lower medical costs [ 7 , 57 , 58 ].

Health effects of physical activity in many cases follow a dose–response relationship; dose of physical activity is in proportion to the effect on health [ 59 , 60 ]. Figure 2 depicts the relationship between risk of death and level of physical activity, in a Finnish twin cohort, adjusted for smoking, occupational group, and alcohol consumption [ 59 ]. Odds ratio (OR) for the risk of all-cause mortality in a larger sample in the same study was 0.80 for occasional exercisers ( p = 0.002, 95% CI = 0.69–0.91). This dose–response relationship between risk of all-cause mortality and physical activity is evident in several extensive studies [ 60 , 61 , 62 ]. The total dose is determined by the intensity (how strenuous), duration (duration), and frequency (how often). While Figure 2 shows sex differences in death rates, it is likely that sedentary behavior is equally hazardous for men and women, but inconsistent results sometime occur due to inadequate assessment measures, or low statistical power [ 59 , 63 ]. To obtain the best possible development due to physical exercise/training, both for prevention and treatment purposes, a basic understanding of how these variables affect the dose of activity is required, as well as understanding how they can be modified to suit individual requirements. A physically active population is important for the health of both the individual and society, with sport participation being one, increasingly important, motivator for exercise.

Relative risk (odds ratio; OR) of premature death in relationship to level of physical activity, in 286 male and 148 female twin pairs, adjusted for smoking, occupational group, and use of alcohol [ 59 ].

There is strong scientific evidence supporting an association between physical exercise/training and good physical and mental health. For example: A reduction in musculoskeletal disorders and reduced disability due to chronic disease [ 27 , 64 ], better mental health with reduced anxiety [ 65 , 66 ], insomnia [ 67 ], depression [ 31 ], stress [ 68 ], and other psychological disorders [ 69 ]. Physical and mental health problems are related to an increased risk of developing a number of our major public health diseases and may contribute to premature death ( Table 2 ).

Health-related physiological effects of aerobic and muscle strengthening physical activity. Green circle indicates that the activity contributes with an effect, whereas a red circle indicates that the activity has no proven effect. Orange circle indicates that the activity may in some cases be effective.

5.1. Effects on Physical Health

The effects of physical activity and exercise are both acute (during and immediately after) and long-lasting. Effects remaining after a long period of regular physical activity have far-reaching consequences for health and are described below. For example, some muscle enzymes’ activity can be quickly increased by physical exercise/training but just as quickly be lost when idle [ 118 ]. Other changes remain for months or years even if training ends—for instance, increased number and size of muscle fibers and blood vessels [ 49 , 119 , 120 ]. Good health, therefore, requires physical activity to be performed with both progression and continuity. Most of the conducted physical exercise/training is a combination of both aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise, and it can be difficult to distinguish between their health effects ( Table 2 ).

To describe ill-health, indicators of life expectancy, disease incidence (number), and prevalence (how often) are used [ 121 ]. In describing the relationship between physical activity and falling ill with certain diseases, the dose–response relationship, the effect size (the risk reduction that is shown in studies), and the recommended type and dose of physical activity are considered [ 122 ]. Table 3 shows the relative effects of regular physical activity ton the risk of various diseases (US Department of Human Services, 2009). The greatest health gains are for people who move from completely sedentary to moderately active lifestyles, with health effects seen before measurable improvements in physical performance. Previously, most scientific studies collected data only on aerobic physical activity. However, resistance exercise also shows promising health (mental and physical) and disease-prevention effects [ 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 ].

Disease prevention effects of regular physical activity.

Compiled from US Department of Health and Human Service, https://health.gov/paguidelines/report/ [ 62 , 146 ] 1 : Risk reduction refers to the relative risk in physically active samples in comparison to a non-active sample, i.e., a risk reduction of 20% means that the physically active sample has a relative risk of 0.8, compared to the non-active sample, which has 1.0. 2 : In general, general recommendations for PA that are described and referred to herein apply to most conditions. However, in some cases, more specific recommendations exist, more in depth described by the US Department of Health and Human Service, amongst others [ 62 ]. 3 : Evidence is dependent on cancer subtype; refer to US Department of Health and Human Service [ 62 ] for in-depth guidance. PA = Physical.

Aerobic physical activity has been shown to benefit weight maintenance after prior weight loss, reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, normalize blood lipids, and help with cancer/cancer-related side effects ( Table 2 and Table 3 ), while effects on chronic pain are not as clear [ 29 ].

Muscle-strengthening physical activity has, in contrast to aerobic exercise, been shown to reduce muscle atrophy [ 128 ], risk of falling [ 75 ], and osteoporosis [ 74 ] in the elderly. Among the elderly, both men and women adapt positively to strength training [ 129 ]. Strength training also prevents obesity [ 130 ], enhances cognitive performance if done alongside aerobic exercise [ 131 ], counteracts the development of neurodegenerative diseases [ 132 , 133 , 134 ], reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome [ 135 ], counteracts cancer/cancer-related side effects [ 135 , 136 ], reduces pain and disability in joint diseases [ 137 ], and enhances bone density [ 137 , 138 ]. The risk of falling increases markedly with age and is partly a result of reduced muscle mass, and reduced coordination and balance [ 76 , 139 , 140 ]. A strong correlation between physical performance, reduced risk of falls, and enhanced quality of life is therefore, not surprisingly, found in older people [ 141 ]. Deterioration in muscle strength, but not muscle mass, increases the risk of premature death [ 142 ] but can be counteracted by exercise as a dose–response relationship describes the strength improvement in the elderly [ 122 , 143 ]. Recommendations state high-intensity strength training (6–8 repetitions at 80% of 1-repetition maximum) as most effective [ 144 ]. Muscle strengthening physical activity for better health is recommended as a complement to aerobic physical activity [ 29 ]. Amongst the elderly, vibration training can be an alternative to increase strength [ 145 ].

5.2. Effects on Mental Health

Mental illness is a global problem affecting millions of people worldwide [ 147 ]. Headache, stress, insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety are all measures of mental ill health. The term “ ill health ” constitutes a collection of several mental health problems and symptoms with various levels of seriousness. Studies have compared expected health benefits from regular physical activity for improvement of mental health with other treatments, for example, medication. Most recent studies show that physical activity and exercise used as a primary, or secondary, processing method have significant positive effects in preventing or alleviating depressive symptoms [ 31 , 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 ] and have an antidepressant effect in people with neurological diseases [ 152 ]. Training and exercise improve the quality of life and coping with stress and strengthen self-esteem and social skills [ 69 , 153 ]. Training and exercise also lessen anxiety in people who are diagnosed with an anxiety- or stress-related disease [ 68 ], improve vocabulary learning [ 154 ], memory [ 155 , 156 ], and creative thinking [ 157 ].

The same Swedish data as used in Figure 1 show that between the years 2004–2007 and 2012–2015 anxiety, worry, and insomnia decreased but were not obviously correlated to the slightly increased level of physical activity in the population during the same period. Thus, in a multifactorial context, the importance of physical exercise alone cannot be demonstrated in this dataset.

Some of the suggested physiological explanations for improved mental health with physical activity and exercise are greater perfusion and increased brain volume [ 107 , 158 ], increased volume of the hippocampus [ 106 ], and the anti-inflammatory effects of physical activity, reducing brain inflammation in neurological diseases [ 159 ]. Physical exercise may also mediate resilience to stress-induced depression via skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α), enhancing kynurenine conversion to kynurenine acid, which in turn protects the brain and reduces the risk for stress-induced depression [ 153 ]. Further, increased release of growth factors, endorphins, and signaling molecules are other exercise-induced enhancers of mental health [ 69 ].

6. How Sport Affects Health

Sport’s main purposes are to promote physical activity and improve motor skills for health and performance and psychosocial development [ 56 ]. Participants also gain a chance to be part of a community, develop new social circles, and create social norms and attitudes. In healthy individuals, and patients with mental illness, sport participation has been shown to provide individuals with a sense of meaning, identity, and belonging [ 160 , 161 ]. Whether the sport movement exists or not, training and competition including physical activity will happen. Sport’s added values, in addition to the health benefits of physical activity, are therefore of interest. Some argue that it is doubtful, or at least not confirmed, that health development can come from sport, while others believe that healthy sport is something other than health, reviewed in depth by Coakley [ 162 ]. In a sporting context, health is defined as subjective (e.g., one feels good), biological (e.g., not being sick), functional (e.g., to perform), and social (e.g., to collaborate) [ 163 ]. Holt [ 56 ] argued that the environment for positive development in young people is distinctly different from an environment for performance, as the latter is based on being measured and assessed. That said, certain skills (goal setting, leadership, etc.) can be transferred from a sporting environment to other areas of life. The best way to transfer these abilities is, at the moment, unclear.

Having the goal to win at all costs can be detrimental to health. This is especially true for children and adolescents, as early engagement in elite sports increases the risk of injury, promotes one-dimensional functional development, leads to overtraining, creates distorted social norms, risks psychosocial disorders, and has the risk of physical and psychological abuse [ 15 , 164 ]. Of great importance, therefore, is sport’s goal of healthy performance development, starting at an early age. For older people, a strong motivating factor to conduct physical activity is sports club membership [ 165 ]. One can summarize these findings by stating sport’s utility at the transition between different stages of the life; from youth to adulthood and from adulthood to old age. There, sports can be a resource for good physical and mental health [ 166 ].

Today, a higher proportion of the population, compared to 50 years ago, is engaged in organized sports, and to a lesser extent performs spontaneous sports ( Figure 3 ), something that Engström showed in 2004 [ 17 ] and is confirmed by data from The Swedish Sports Confederation ( www.rf.se ). Of the surveyed individuals in 2001, 50%–60% of children and young people said they were active in a sports club. The trend has continued showing similar progression to 2011, with up to 70% of school students playing sports in a club. Furthermore, the study shows that those active in sport clubs also spontaneously do more sports [ 167 ]. Similar data from the years 2007–2018, compiled from open sources at The Swedish Sports Confederation, confirm the trend with an even higher share of youths participating in organized sports, compared to 1968 and 2001 ( Figure 4 ).

Spontaneous sport has decreased over the last decades, to the advantage of organized sport. Data compiled from Engström, 2004, The Swedish Research Council for Sport Science.

Data compiled from open sources report Sport Statistics (Idrotten i siffror) at The Swedish Sports Confederation for the year 2011 ( www.rf.se ).

Taking part in sports can be an important motivator for physical activity for older people [ 165 , 166 ]. With aging, both participation in sports ( Figure 4 ) and physical activity in everyday life [ 168 ] decreases. At the same time, the number of people who are physically active both in leisure and in organized sports increases (The Public Health Agency of Sweden 2017; www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se ). Consequently, among elderly people, a greater proportion of the physical activity occurs within the context of sport [ 8 , 28 ]. Together, research shows that organized sports, in clubs or companies, are more important for people’s overall physical activity than ever before. Groups that are usually less physically active can be motivated through sport—for example, elderly men in sport supporters’ clubs [ 169 ], people in rural areas [ 170 ], migrants [ 171 ], and people with alternative physical and mental functions [ 172 ]. No matter how you get your sporting interest, it is important to establish a physical foundation at an early age to live in good health when you get older ( Figure 5 ). As seen in Figure 5 , a greater sport habitus at age 15 results in higher physical activity at 53 years of age. Early training and exposure to various forms of sports are therefore of great importance. Participation creates an identity, setting the stage for a high degree of physical activity later in life [ 173 ].

Odds ratio (OR) of physical activity at age 53 in relation to Sport habitus at age 15. Sport habitus (“the total physical capital"), including cultural capital, athletic diversity, and grades in physical education and health are, according to Engström [ 173 ], the factors most important for being physically active in later life. For a further discussion on sport habitus, the readers are referred to Engström, 2008 [ 173 ]. Numbers above bar show the 95% confidence interval. ** = significant difference from “Very low”, p < 0.01. *** = p < 0.001.

7. Sport’s Effects on the Health of Children and Young People

The effects of participation in organized sports for children and young people are directly linked to physical activity, with long term secondary effects; an active lifestyle at a young age fosters a more active lifestyle as an adult. As many diseases that are positively affected by physical activity/exercise appear later in life, continued participation in sport as an adult will reduce morbidity and mortality.

It must be emphasized that good physical and mental health of children and young people participating in sport requires knowledge and organization based on everyone’s participation. Early specialization counteracts, in all regards, both health and performance development [ 174 , 175 ].

7.1. Positive Aspects

According to several reviews, there is a correlation between high daily physical activity in children and a low risk for obesity, improved development of motor and cognitive skills, as well as a stronger skeleton [ 176 , 177 ]. Positive effects on lipidemia, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, body composition, metabolic syndrome, bone density and depression, increased muscle strength, and reduced damage to the skeleton and muscles are also described [ 178 , 179 ]. If many aspects are merged in a multidimensional analysis [ 8 , 173 ], the factors important for future good health are shown to be training in sports, broad exposure to different sports, high school grades, cultural capital, and that one takes part in sport throughout childhood ( Table 4 ).

Compiled health profiles for men and women at the age of 20 years, depending on participation in organized sports at the age of 5, 7, 8, 10, 14, and 17 years.

Classification with repeated latent class analysis creates three groups for girls and boys, respectively: Children who never participated (girls only), participated, quit prematurely, or began late (only boys) in sports. Arrows indicate whether participation in sports at young age has an effect on health at 20 years of age. Green up arrow is positive, red down arrow negative, and a horizontal black double arrow shows that sport had no significant effect. Modified from Howie et. al., 2016 [ 8 ].

Psychological benefits of sports participation of young people were compiled by Eime et al. [ 1 ], where the conclusion was that sporting children have better self-esteem, less depression, and better overall psychosocial health. One problem with most of these studies, though, is that they are cross-sectional studies, which means that no cause–effect relationship can be determined. As there is a bias for participating children towards coming from socially secure environments, the results may be somewhat skewed.

7.2. Negative Aspects

As Table 4 and Table 5 show, there are both positive and negative aspects of sports. Within children’s and youth sports, early specialization to a specific sport is a common phenomenon [ 175 ]. There is no scientific evidence that early specialization would have positive impact, neither for health nor for performance later in life [ 175 ]. No model or method including performance at a young age can predict elite performance as an adult. By contrast, specialization and competitiveness can lead to injury, overtraining, increased psychological stress, and reduced training motivation, just to mention a few amongst many negative aspects [ 174 , 175 ]. Another important aspect is that those who are excluded from sports feel mentally worse [ 8 ]. As there is a relationship between depressive episodes in adolescence, and depression as adults [ 116 ], early exclusion has far-reaching consequences. Therefore, sports for children and young people have future health benefits by reducing the risk of developing depression and depressive symptoms, as well as improved wellbeing throughout life.

Positive and negative aspects with sport (at young age).

While some degree of sport specialization is necessary to develop elite-level athletes, research shows clear adverse health effects of early specialization and talent selection [ 180 ]. More children born during the fall and winter (September–December) are excluded [ 181 ], and as a group, they are less physically active than spring (January–April) children, both in sports and leisure ( Figure 6 ). In most sports and in most countries, there is a skewed distribution of participants when sorted by birth-date, and there are more spring children than fall children among those who are involved in sport [ 182 , 183 , 184 , 185 , 186 ]. Because a large part of the physical activity takes place in an organized form, this leads to lower levels of physical activity for late-born persons (Malm, Jakobsson, and Julin, unpublished data). Early orientation and training in physical activity and exercise will determine how active you are later in life. Greater attention must be given to stimulating as many children and young people as possible to participate in sport as long as possible, both in school and on their leisure time. According to statistics from the Swedish Sports Confederation in 2016, this relative-age effect persists throughout life, despite more starting than ending with sport each year [ 18 ].

The figure shows the distribution of 7597 children aged 10 years and younger who in 2014 were registered as active in one particular, individual sport in Sweden (data compiled from the Swedish Sport Confederation, www.rf.se ). Spring, Summer, and Fall represent January–April, May–August, and September–December, respectively.

When summarize, the positive and negative aspects of sport at a young age can be divided into three categories: (1) Personal identification, (2) social competence, and (3) physiological capacity, briefly summarized in Table 5 . A comprehensive analysis of what is now popularly known as “physical literacy” has recently been published [ 187 ].

7.3. Relevance of Sports

Sports can make children and young people develop both physically and mentally and contribute with health benefits if planned and executed exercise/training considers the person’s own capacities, social situation, and biological as well as psychological maturation. In children and adolescents, it is especially important to prevent sports-related injuries and health problems, as a number of these problems are likely to remain long into adulthood, sometimes for life. Comprehensive training is recommended, which does not necessarily mean that you have to participate in various sports. What is required is diverse training within every sport and club. Research shows that participation in various sports simultaneously during childhood and adolescence is most favorable for healthy and lifelong participation [ 8 , 173 , 188 , 189 ].

8. Sport’s Effects on the Health of Adults and the Elderly

Adults who stop participating in sports reduce their physical activity and have health risks equal to people who have neither done sports nor been physical [ 190 , 191 ]. Lack of adherence to exercise programs is a significant hindrance in achieving health goals and general physical activity recommendations in adults and the elderly [ 192 ]. While several socioeconomic factors are related to exercise adherence, it is imperative that trainers and health care providers are informed about factors that can be modulated, such as intervention intensity (not to high), duration (not too long), and supervision, important for higher adherence, addressed more in depth by Rivera-Torres, Fahey and Rivera [ 192 ].

Healthy aging is dependent on many factors, such as the absence of disease, good physical and mental health, and social commitment (especially through team sports or group activities) [ 193 ]. Increased morbidity with age may be partly linked to decreased physical activity. Thus, remaining or becoming active later in life is strongly associated with healthy aging [ 194 ]. With increased age, there is less involvement in training and competition ( Figure 4 ), and only 20% of adults in Sweden are active, at least to some extent, in sports clubs, and the largest proportion of adults who exercise do it on their own. The following sections describes effects beyond what is already provided for children and youths.

8.1. Positive Aspects

Participation in sports, with or without competition, promotes healthy behavior and a better quality of life [ 166 ]. Exclusion from sports at a young age appears to have long-term consequences, as the previously described relative age effect ( Figure 6 ) remains even for master athletes (Malm, Jakobsson, and Julin, unpublished data). Because master athletes show better health than their peers [ 95 ], actions should be taken to include adults and elderly individuals who earlier in life were excluded from, or never started with sport [ 195 ]. As we age, physical activity at a health-enhancing intensity is not enough to maintain all functions. Higher intensity is required, best comprising competition-oriented training [ 196 , 197 ]. One should not assume that high-intensity exercise cannot be initiated by the elderly [ 198 ]. Competitive sports, or training like a competitive athlete as an adult, can be one important factor to counter the loss of physical ability with aging [ 199 ]. In this context, golf can be one example of a safe form of exercise with high adherence for older adults and the elderly, resulting in increased aerobic performance, metabolic function, and trunk strength [ 200 , 201 ].

8.2. Negative Aspects

Increased morbidity (e.g., cardiovascular disease) with aging is seen also among older athletes [ 202 ] and is associated with the same risk factors as in the general population [ 203 ]. An increased risk of cardiovascular disease among adults (master) compared to other populations has been found [ 204 ]. Unfortunately, the designs and interpretations of these studies have been criticized, and the incidence of cardiac arrest in older athletes is unclear [ 205 ]. In this context, the difference between competitive sports aiming to optimize performance and recreational sports has to be taken into account, where the former is more likely to induce negative effects due to high training loads and/or impacts during training and games. Although high-intensity training even for older athletes is positive for aerobic performance, it does not prevent the loss of motor units [ 206 ].

Quality of life is higher in sporting adults compared to those who do not play sports, but so is the risk of injury. When hit by injury, adults and young alike may suffer from psychological disorders such as depression [ 207 ], but with a longer recovery time in older individuals [ 208 ]. As with young athletes, secession of training at age 50 years and above reduces blood flow in the brain, including the hippocampus, possibly related to long-term decline in mental capacity [ 209 ].

8.3. Relevance of Sport

As for children and young people, many positive health aspects come through sport also for adults and the elderly [ 210 ]. Sport builds bridges between generations, a potential but not elucidated drive for adults’ motivation for physical activity. The percentage of adults participating in competitive sports has increased in Sweden since 2010, from about 20 percent to 30 percent of all of those who are physically active [ 18 ], a trend that most likely provides better health for the group in the 30–40 age group and generations to come.

9. Recommendations for Healthy Sport

• 1. Plan exercise, rest, and social life. For health-promoting and healthy-aging physical activity, refer to general guidelines summarized in this paper: Aerobic exercise three times a week, muscle-strengthening exercise 2–3 times a week.
• 2. Set long-term goals.
• 3. Adopt a holistic performance development including physiological, medical, mental, and psychosocial aspects.
• ○ a. Exercise load (time, intensity, volume);
• ○ b. Recovery (sleep, resting heart rate, appetite, estimated fatigue, etc.);
• ○ c. Sickness (when–where–how, type of infections, how long one is ill, etc.);
• ○ d. Repeat type- and age-specific physical tests with relevant evaluation and feedback;
• ○ e. Frequency of injuries and causes.
• ○ a. Motivation for training, competition, and socializing;
• ○ b. Personal perception of stress, anxiety, depression, alienation, and self-belief;
• ○ c. Repeat type- and age-specific psychological tests with relevant evaluation and feedback.
• 6. Register and interpret signs of overtraining, such as reduced performance over time, while maintaining or increasing exercise load.

Author Contributions

C.M. and A.J. conceived and designed the review. C.M., A.J., J.J. and interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. J.J. edited the manuscript, tables, and figures. All authors approved the final version.

This work was supported by the Swedish Sports Confederation.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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What are the benefits of basketball.

Our Adjustable Portable Basketball Hoop is great for kids and adults alike

Basketball   is one of the fastest growing and most popular sports. There are over a billion dedicated fans and millions of players! Some may say that playing basketball will help you grow stronger and taller, but there are also numerous other health benefits playing has to offer.

Keeping your heart healthy

Basketball is a contact sport, and it requires a large variety of skill development. When conditioning for basketball, players need aerobic and anaerobic training. Aerobic training involves endurance, and anaerobic training involves short burst activities. During playtime, there is a lot of starting and stopping, so while it is not considered an aerobic sport, it still provides a heart-pumping workout and promotes cardiovascular health . Because you keep moving, your heart rate increases and also helps build endurance, which is important to keeping your heart healthy. It will also help lower the risk of stroke and heart disease later in your life.

Getting into shape

Playing basketball can also help you burn calories. The quick lateral movements, running   and jumping give you an aerobic workout , which allows a person who weighs 165 pounds to burn about 600 calories. A person who weighs 250 pounds can burn approximately 900 calories. This demonstrates it is highly effective as a fitness routine that is also fun, so it doesn't necessarily feel like you're hitting the gym with a goal of burning calories.

Building strength

Basketball also helps to build bone and muscle. Any physical activity that involves weight-bearing helps new bone tissue and muscle tissue to form. Your body becomes stronger as a result of the tugging and pushing of muscles against bone that happens during basketball.

Stress relief

Basketball is a great stress reliever. When stress is decreased, you have more energy and focus to complete other tasks. It also makes you more social, which can help prevent depression. Your immune system will receive a boost when stress is lowered, making you overall healthier and your body naturally combative!

Full-body toning/workout

When you play basketball you get a full-body workout , this helps develop lean muscle in your lower back, neck, deltoids, traps and core. It also makes your legs stronger, and shooting and dribbling help strengthen your arms, hand and wrist.

Quick thinking

Basketball is not only a fast-paced game that requires a lot of physical skill, but also a mind game that requires you to think on your toes. This sport requires heavy focus so you can accurately and quickly process what is happening on the court, then make the correct decisions to direct the ball . You also have to assess the court environment around you and make split second decisions based on the actions of other players on the court.

Hand-eye coordination

Basketball requires a lot of hand-eye coordination as well as full-body coordination. Practicing or playing basketball develops these skills as you rebound, dribble, and navigate the court while making your next move - whether it be a pass or a shot.

With the many benefits of basketball, it is the perfect reason for you to pick up a ball and start shooting some hoops . It can be played alone or with friends – no matter what you choose, you receive a great workout and many health benefits. By making this sport a part of your fitness routine, you'll be physically and mentally fit for many years

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