Regina Roller-Wirnsberger
B e r gspor t i m A l t e r Mountain sports in elder age
S U M M A RY The number of people who intend to actively do sports and remain fit also at high age increases with an increase of life expectancy. According to demographical changes it is especially the Alpine sports that enjoy great popularity. From the point of view of the physicians that treat older people who intend to enjoy their experience in the mountains, the need for new and specific knowledge regarding pathophysiological changes in the process of aging – that in return influence each individual fitness – is obvious. Additional existence of illnesses can lead to further individual risks for injuries as well as death risks during mountaineering. The following article tries to summarize an analytic overview of currently available literature regarding the specifics and characteristics of pathophysiology of older people and their adaptation at higher altitudes as well as elucidate the impact of individual illnesses on the performance of those mountaineers. Keywords: mountain sports, age, pathophysiological changes, age related disease, risk management
Z U S A M M E N FA S S U N G Mit der zunehmenden Lebenserwartung gibt es immer mehr Menschen, welche bis in hohe Lebensalter sportlich aktiv bleiben. Vor allem der Alpinsport erfreut sich entsprechend der demografischen Entwicklung zunehmender Beliebtheit. Aus der Sicht der behandelnden Ärzte ergibt sich aus dem Umgang mit älteren Menschen, welche das Bergerlebnis genießen wollen, ein neuer und besonderer Bedarf an Wissenszuwachs betreffend pathophysiologische Veränderungen des Alternsprozess, welche einen spezifischen Einfluss auf die individuelle Fitness haben. Zusätzlich bestehende Erkrankungen können das individuelle Risiko für
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