Adding to the general interest surrounding the ongoing World Cup 2014, new research shows playing soccer -called football in most countries - is associated with health benefits in men with prostate cancer.
A 12-week trial showed that men suffering from prostate cancer enjoyed various mental and health benefits after playing the sport. The research was conducted by the Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health at the University of Copenhagen and the University Hospitals Centre for Health Care Research at The Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet.
For the study, the researchers recruited 57 men aged between 43 and 74. They all were undergoing treatment for prostate cancer for an average of three years.
The participants were randomly assigned to either a soccer training group or control group for a duration of 12 weeks. The soccer training group was active twice a week for one hour each day.
The study findings showed playing soccer for two hours a week helped prostate cancer patients increase muscle size and strength while also improving functional capacity, positive social experiences and the desire to remain active.
"This is the first study of its kind in the world, and the results clearly show the potential of recreational football in the rehabilitation of prostate cancer patients," said project leader Julie Midtgaard, a psychologist at The Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet. "Just 12 weeks of football training resulted in the men regaining control and developing a unique exchange of feelings and recognition centered around the sport," she said in a press release.
Researchers said the study results have prompted them to plan a more comprehensive examination in a natural setting.
A previous study by the same research team found that playing football is effective in preventing and treating lifestyle diseases.
The study was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports.
