The utility of Karate training in later life for healthy ageing

World population is ageing causing increased costs for public health and some social issues, mostly for seniors. Scientific literature has shown that physical exercises and a socially active lifestyle could lead to a better quality of life and longevity. Nevertheless, the general senior population is too inactive. The issue became even bigger during the Covid-19 pandemic, when elderly people were forced to isolate, staying at home, becoming consequently less physically active and lonelier. During the pandemic, remote technologies have been used by people to follow some fitness programs, but the participation of older adults was again extremely lawful. This confirms that older adults are generally not interested in the proposed programs of physical exercise. Few exceptions seem to be represented by martial arts. Tai Chi is the most popular and suggested physical activity for seniors, but it is not the most popular martial art, as instead is Karate, which on the contrary is not very well known by scientific literature. Considering the low success of actual physical activity programs, the researcher has started to consider the popular Karate, obviously adapted, as an easy way to involve older adults, thanks to remote technologies, to keep participants safe according to the Covid-19 safety guidelines. This culminated in the following thesis aims: To literary review previously published research on ageing and martial arts. To investigate possible psycho-social benefits of traditional martial arts in different age groups To lead a review on previously published material on Karate, health, and well-being. To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of an online adapted Karate class for the elderly.As a result of these aims, this thesis had 3 hypotheses: Adapted Karate practice could be associated with greater health and quality of life in the elderly. Karate could represent the definitive activity to promote active ageing and involve older adults in physical activity Increased health and quality of life in the elderly could result in greater social resources and less public health expenditureIn addressing these aims, 5 original investigations are presentedStudy 1- “The literary review”. The aim of this review was to identify possible benefits on health in older adults from the practice of martial arts.Study 2- “The pilot study 1”. This pilot study aimed to evaluate coping skills and self-esteem in Karate competitors.Study 3- “The pilot study 2”. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of martial arts and their dojos, in the community, to improve quality of life, physical activity, and social involvement in later life.Study 4- “The scoping review”. In this study, the author has tried to identify possible proven correlations between Karate and health, in previously published research.Study 5- “Feasibility and acceptability of an online Karate intervention”. This last investigation has the goal to verify if an online adapted Karate class intervention is feasible and acceptable for older adults.In conclusion, this original thesis provides a new perspective on the use of adapted Karate for health purposes in later life and finds in Karate a new original solution to involve older adults in physical and social activities contributing to a better and healthier quality of life. The research is also of primary importance for Karate instructors and federations as it gives the first practical guidelines of an adapted protocol for elderly people.