Geriatric Medicine and Olympic Elite Sports-parallels and Philosophies

Overview

Journal Age Ageing

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2024 Oct 4

PMID 39364561

Authors

Claire McDonald

Avan A Sayer

Miles D Witham

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The 30th Olympiad took place in July 2024. At first glance, sports science and training of elite athletes may appear to be of little relevance to geriatric medicine. However, there are important parallels between the practice of geriatric medicine and elite sports and lessons that we can learn from our sports science colleagues. Elite athletes and older people are operating at the margins of physiological capacity. Both benefit from tailored, scientifically informed training programmes delivered and monitored by a multidisciplinary team. There are parallels between the comprehensive geriatric assessment and the philosophy of marginal gains pioneered by British Cycling. Insights into the biology of skeletal muscle function are beginning to translate into the development of clinical interventions and substances that offer an unfair advantage in sport by improving muscle strength and physical performance may be of therapeutic benefit in sarcopenia. The 2024 Olympics provide an opportunity for us to learn lessons for excellence in our research and provide an opportunity to promote exercise across the life course-important for healthy ageing.

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