Motor Performance of Women As a Function of Age and Physical Activity Level

In Study 1, simple and choice reaction time, balance, sit and reach flexibility, shoulder flexibility, and grip strength of older active women were compared with older inactive women, and active and inactive younger women. Except for grip strength, scores of older active women on all measures were significantly better than for older inactive women, and much more like those of the younger women. In Study 2, scores of avid women golfers were compared with the older active and inactive women from Study 1. On all variables, the scores of golfers were significantly better than those of the older inactive women, but not significantly different from the older active women. Findings were consistent with previous research on men, indicating that motor performance tends to be more highly related to lifelong physical activity level than to age.