Study in collaboration between PFS and FPF reveals health benefits of practicing Walking Football for the elderly population
Through the collaboration between the Portugal Football School and the Universities of Évora, Beira Interior and Porto, it was possible to put into practice the study entitled "The Influence of Including Goalkeepers on the Intensity Demands of Walking Football Practice", published online in the scientific magazine Sports ( Q1, IF: 2.2), which included contributions from CHRC researchers, Bruno Gonçalves and Hugo Folgado.
This study aims to analyze the impact of including or not including goalkeepers for the practice of Walking Football, aimed at older adults with the objective of studying their physical impact, safety and studying interaction and cooperation, in order to provide another form of sport for the older population.
This study included 20 male participants, over the age of 50, and compared two different playing conditions: with and without a goalkeeper.
In conclusion, the data regarding the practice of Walking Football without goalkeepers translates into a safer sport with less physical intensity, being accessible to older adults and those with fragile health conditions. The presence of goalkeepers revealed more effort, with greater cardiac intensity and greater distance covered by the participants, which confirms that Walking Football without goalkeepers is a safer sport for the elderly population, with more fragile health conditions. In addition to the physical benefits, it was found that this modality promotes greater interaction and cooperation between participants. To collect this data, location systems called position measurements were used.
The end results shows that the practise of Walking Football proves to be a promising alternative to traditional football, adapted to promote health benefits through interaction between older adults. This practice places more emphasis on walking rather than running, and can mitigate injury risks while maintaining many tactical and technical elements of conventional football, promoting sustained physical engagement and social interaction. Walking Football concludes to be a safe and fun practice, suitable for promoting physical activity, health and well-being in the older population.
Study Publication HERE.