Kuchikomi Mar. 26, 2009 - 06:00AM JST ( 4 )

“My doctor had warned me previously about my high blood pressure,” the woman, now in her 80s, tells Shukan Post (April 3). “Now it’s back in the normal range and I’ve stopped catching colds.”

This remarkable recovery came about not through a regimen of popping pills or acupuncture needles, but by knocking down pins at her neighborhood bowling lanes several times a week.

Bowling, which went from boom to bust over the span of a several years back in the early 1970s, may now be on the verge of a resurgence, thanks to seniors taking it up as a means of staying physically robust and mentally alert.

Kiyoji Tanaka, a professor of sports medicine at the University of Tsukuba Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences and himself a bowler for more than 10 years, sees benefits in how bowling activates the brain.

“By tracking the motion of the ball down the alley and listening to the high-pitched ‘klunk!’ sound generated when the pins collide, the entire body feels a sense of tension, stimulating the brain,” Tanaka says, adding, “Thinking about ‘Where should I aim the ball to make a spare?’ or ‘How many pins will I need in the next frame to beat my best score so far?’ give the mind beneficial exercise.”

Tanaka also believes bowling also improves circulation and enhances immune functions.

Ritsuko Nakayama, vivacious chairwoman of the Japan Pro Bowling Association, would appear to verify such claims. Thanks to several sessions per week, she maintains a healthy glow that belies her 66 years.

In addition to cardiovascular and neurological benefits, bowling may also delay the onset of osteoporosis. In studies of 11 right-handed bowlers, professor Tanaka found that on the average the bones of their right arms weighed 22.9 grams more than their left arms, and that their left legs (the leg extended when delivering the ball) were 9.8 grams heavier than their right legs, indicating that bowling may affect bone density.

“Bowling has the same sort of effect on bone load as weight training with dumbbells,” he says. “And the sport involves not only walking but twisting and turning actions, which are believed to raise bone density.”

Tanaka goes on to extol bowling’s other benefits.

“As stress builds up on the job or through relationships, it can be tied to physical abnormalities. As bowling is something that people of any sex and age group can enjoy with their peers, it’s good for their mental health as well. Overall, I’d say it is the ultimate in anti-aging sports.”

“Stress is the greatest factor in decline in resistance to diseases,” remarks Takashi Fuke, a physician who also works as a journalist. “Bowling is a healthy, noncompetitive outlet for stress. It is known to enhance production of the lymph cells that provide immunity.

“In any case, it’s definitely a means of addressing lack of exercise.”

Shukan Post advises those considering adding bowling to their health management program to perform stretching exercises to loosen up beforehand, and to consume at least 250 to 300 milliliters of water per hour. And to be on the safe side, sufficient precautions against falling should also be taken.