Research conducted at the National Senior Games over 12 years has led to the publication of the first tool available to evaluate the physical fitness of athletes aged 50 and older.
An athlete participates in the SAFE at the National Senior Games in 2023.
Becca Jordre, PT, DPT, PhD, and Wendy Viviers, PT, DPT, MPhil are lead authors on “The Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam – Outcomes of U.S. National Senior Games Athletes.” Their research draws from the screenings of over 4,600 participants ages 50+ and was recently published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.
Past research conducted by Dr. Jordre has shown that senior athletes significantly outperform their non-athletic peers on standard physical fitness tests. Thus, a new combination of tests with population-specific benchmarks was needed for senior athletes, and this is how the SAFE tool was born.
Not only does the SAFE tool assist healthcare providers by offering a more accurate and meaningful measure to gauge senior athlete fitness, but it also provides new ways for them to identify training needs with specific attention to cardiovascular, muscular, balance, and flexibility fitness.
“I remember being in the clinic as a new graduate when a very fit 80-year-old man came in for an evaluation. He was injured but wanted to get back to weightlifting. As a physical therapist, I didn’t know how to help him because he was so different from my typical patients,” shared Dr. Jordre. “Many providers have similar stories. The SAFE fills this void by providing research-based test benchmarks for these athletes.”
While the SAFE has been conducted at the National Senior Games for many years, this is the first time the tool will be formally published and made available to both healthcare providers and researchers. Drs. Jordre and Viviers hope the publication will lead to better assessment, treatment, preventative medicine, and training support for the growing number of highly active older adults.
“There’s always been a lot of anecdotal evidence presented on the physical fitness capabilities of older athletes, but very little that truly reflects the population. This research provides a clear picture of what senior athletes are physically capable of, in a way that hasn’t been done before,” said Dr. Jordre.
A Call to Action for Strength Training
The SAFE research found many positive health outcomes and fitness behaviors among senior athletes, including some opportunities for improvement. Of note was the fact that while 93% of athletes reported regularly engaging in cardiovascular exercise, a full 40% reported no regular engagement in strength training.
“Strength training is vital for sustaining athletic performance and decreasing the risk of injury in senior athletes,” said Dr. Viviers. “Preliminary findings from SAFE research shows that senior athletes who strength train at least two times per week are more likely to perform well with fewer injuries into older age than those strength training less or not at all.”
“The message about the importance of cardiovascular exercise has clearly gotten through. Now we need to work on educating athletes on the value of strength training and how to get started,” Dr. Jordre said. The health and sports performance benefits of resistance training are well-documented. These activities help individuals maintain muscle mass and improve mobility as they age.
Takeaways for Senior Athletes
It appears that senior athletes “broke the mold” for standard fitness testing in older adults and necessitated creation of the SAFE. This tool is now available to healthcare providers, creating greater opportunities for athlete assessment and effective care.
The NSGA thanks Drs. Jordre & Viviers and the SAFE research team for their years of dedication to this important work. Look for SAFE testing in the Rec Plex at the National Senior Games in Des Moines this summer and encourage your State Senior Games to offer the SAFE to athletes locally!
