Dose–response and modality effects of recreational badminton versus closed skill exercise on physical, physiological, and cognitive outcomes in older adults

Open skill exercise may offer cognitive advantages beyond closed skill (CSE) modes in older adults. This thesis evaluates recreational badminton, as an open skill activity, against closed skill exercise across five studies involving recreationally older adults’ badminton players and spanning cardiovascular, metabolic, physical, and cognitive domains. Study 1 (age >55 years; HPT n = 18, LPT n = 18, CSE n = 18). Badminton participants were stratified by weekly playing time using a median cut off 7.05 hours per week, with High Playing Time (HPT) at least 7.05 and Low Playing Time (LPT) below 7.05. The closed skill comparator comprised cycling, swimming, and gym circuit activities performed in stable and predictable environments. HPT demonstrated more favorable cardiovascular and body composition profiles than CSE. Study 2 (age >55 years; HPT n = 18, LPT n = 18, CSE n = 18). Using the same groupings and activities, fasting glucose was lower in HPT than in CSE. Study 3 (age >55 years; RBP n = 18, CSE n = 18, CON n = 18). Recreational badminton participants (RBP) were compared with closed skill participants engaged in cycling, swimming, or gym circuit, and with controls who reported no structured exercise. Recreational badminton participants outperformed controls on flexibility, balance, agility, handgrip strength, and the six minute walk distance, with several advantages also observed over closed skill participants. Study 4 (age >55 years; RBP n = 18, CSE n = 18, CON n = 18). Recreational badminton participants showed faster reaction time, higher working memory accuracy, and higher global cognitive screening scores than controls, with trends that favored recreational badminton over closed skill participation. Study 5 (age >60 years; RBP n = 18, CSE n = 18, CON n = 18), acute bout. Following a single session aligned to habitual modality, badminton rally or play for recreational badminton participants and a closed skill session for closed skill participants, immediate improvements in reaction time and accuracy were observed in recreational badminton participants versus controls. Across studies, recreational badminton was consistently associated with favorable profiles across cardiovascular, metabolic, physical, and cognitive measures when compared with closed skill exercise or no structured exercise. The collective evidence highlights the distinctive value of an open skill activity that combines locomotion, interceptive actions, and rapid perceptual decision demands. These findings support the inclusion of recreational badminton within community and clinical exercise programming for healthy ageing in older adults.