Andalusians over 55 are the fittest group in the region, and the least achy too

New wellbeing survey finds older residents exercise daily far more than younger age groups, yet feel the least fatigue

If you're over 55 and feeling pretty good about your fitness routine, the data backs you up. According to Wellbeinn's latest Wellbeing and Performance Barometer, Andalusians aged 55 and over report the lowest levels of frequent or constant fatigue of any age group, just 14.5%, despite being the most physically active group of all.

A full 25% of over 55s say they exercise daily, double the regional average, yet they're also the least likely to bother with specific recovery methods, with 17.7% saying they use none at all. Miguel Ortín, co-founder and co-CEO of Wellbeinn, puts this down to a different relationship with exercise altogether. "Older people seem to integrate movement more regularly into their routines, while younger people and those who engage in more demanding activities tend to focus more on recovery," he explains.

It's a notable contrast with the rest of the region. Overall, 87.3% of Andalusians practise some form of physical activity, mostly for health and wellbeing reasons, but 27.8% of those who do sport report frequent or constant fatigue, the second highest rate in Spain behind only the Canary Islands. Across the country as a whole, three in four people who play sport experience fatigue or muscle soreness, with 53.2% feeling it sometimes and 21.9% frequently or always.

Women report more discomfort than men, at 23.9% compared to 19.9%, and the age group feeling it most isn't the oldest at all, it's actually those between 35 and 44, at 27.9%. Unsurprisingly, intensity matters too, with 54.6% of competitive athletes reporting frequent fatigue compared to just 16.4% of recreational exercisers.

So how are people coping? Simple methods still dominate. Rest remains the most popular recovery strategy at 67.7%, followed by stretching at 48.1%. Nutritional supplements come in at 23.4%, massage or physiotherapy at 16.5%, and just 3.8% turn to specialised recovery technology.

Among amateur and competitive athletes, though, those numbers shift considerably, with massage or physiotherapy used by over a third, and recovery technology use nearly tripling to 12.1% among amateurs. As Ortín puts it, this points to "a professionalisation of recovery among the most demanding athletes", while most people continue relying on the basics.

For over 55s, though, the message seems to be simpler still. Keep moving regularly, and the fatigue tends to take care of itself.

Image: Centre for Ageing Better/Pexels