Research article - (2025)24, 589 - 602
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2025.589
Comparing Adapted Small-Sided Team Sports and Aerobic Exercise with or without Cognitive Games: Effects on Fitness and Cognition in Older Men
Ana Filipa Silva1,2,, Robert Trybulski3,4,5, Grzegorz Trybek6, Waldemar Moska7, Henrique Castro8, Francisco Tomás González-Fernández9
1Escola Superior Desporto e Lazer, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Álvares, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
2Sport Physical Activity and Health Research & Innovation Center, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
3Medical Department Wojciech Korfanty, Upper Silesian Academy, Katowice, Poland
4Provita Żory Medical Center, Żory, Poland
5Department of Interdisciplinary Dentistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
6Department of Sports Medicine and Health, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdańsk, Poland
7Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdańsk, Poland
8Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Educação Física e Esportes, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil
9Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences. University of Granada, Granada, Spain

Ana Filipa Silva
✉ Escola Superior Desporto e Lazer, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Álvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Email: anafilsilva@gmail.com
Received: 06-06-2025 -- Accepted: 26-06-2025
Published (online): 01-09-2025

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of 12-week interventions on cognitive and physical fitness adaptations in older men with cognitive decline. We employed a randomized, parallel, and controlled design with five groups: team sports (TS), team sports with cognitive training (TS+C), aerobic exercise (A), aerobic exercise with cognitive training (A+C), and a control group (Control). Fifty older male volunteers (mean age: 69.3 ± 3.2 years) were included in the analysis. Interventions consisted of two 60-minute sessions per week for 12 weeks. Both TS and A groups participated in structured physical training, with TS involving 5v5 handball and football games, and A focusing on circuit training exercises. The TS+C and A+C groups additionally incorporated 20-minute cognitive training sessions using a software, targeting memory, attention, and executive functions. The control group maintained their usual routines. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Physical fitness was assessed through six tests of the Senior Fitness Test. Results revealed significant post-intervention differences in MoCA (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.622), chair stand (p = 0.038, ηp2 = 0.189), up and go (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.516), and 6-minute walk test (p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.333) scores among groups. Post hoc analysis showed that TS, TS+C, A, and A+C groups significantly improved in MoCA, chair stand, up and go, and 6-minute walk test compared to the control group (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed for arm curl, sit and reach, or back scratch tests. Our findings suggest that 12-week interventions incorporating team sports or aerobic exercise, with or without cognitive training, can improve cognitive function and physical fitness in older men with cognitive decline, and may contribute to strategies aimed at promoting healthy aging.

Key words: Walking football, walking basketball, walking handball, running, elderly, physical exercise

Key Points
  • Maximal sprint cycling performance was comparable between the Arm 70% condition and the Leg 70% condition.
  • A mild elevation in BLC by arm priming exercise may improve the performance of high-intensity exercise.
  • Low (i.e., Arm 20%) and high (i.e., Arm 140%) workloads did not provide any performance benefits.








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