## 4 Discussion
However, these sRPE values were still significantly lower than those reported for semi-professional basketball players, who recorded an average sRPE load of 313.69 \(\pm\) 139.73 AU [66]. Previous studies in older adults participating in soccer and basketball matches have demonstrated that, although heart rate and blood lactate levels can be elevated, athletes often report a moderate rate of perceived exertion [41, 42, 44, 45]. This phenomenon has been linked to the enjoyment associated with recreational activities, which may induce a psychological \"buffer effect\", resulting in a reduced perception of exertion rather than physiological stress [44]. This enjoyment, along with the social aspects of team sports, is vital in supporting adherence to long-term physical activity programs and promoting overall well-being [72]. This suggests that the recreational nature of master basketball, combined with the enjoyment of participation and the anticipation of competing in an official game, may mitigate players' subjective perception of exertion despite the physiological demands [43]. To date, various studies have attempted to relate TL to PA using different methods [15, 16, 24]. Physical activity plays a critical role in maintaining and improving overall health, promoting healthy aging, and preventing and managing chronic diseases [73]. The intensity of PA is commonly classified as inactive, low-intensity, moderate-intensity, vigorous, and very vigorous [74]. Findings from this study demonstrate that participation in official basketball matches provides a substantial opportunity for master athletes to engage in MVPA. However, as expected, MVPA exhibited a gradual decline with age. G3 spent 19.58 \(\pm\) 8.12 min in MVPA, 28.7% less than G1 (27.46 \(\pm\) 7.97 min) and 30.1% less than G2 (27.99 \(\pm\) 10.18 min). Although participants in G3 spent less time in MVPA compared to G1 and G2, this time is sufficient to increase their daily PA levels and make it easier for them to reach the WHO guidelines for PA [75; 76]. From the data analysis, a moderate-to-strong significant correlation was observed between active time and MVPA in all age-related groups, suggesting that increasing the active time in each game as well as the frequency of game participation during the week could be an efficient strategy to meet the current guidelines for daily and weekly amounts of MVPA. Additionally, for a notable portion of the match duration, athletes engaged in low-intensity physical activity, aligning with WHO recommendations that emphasize substituting sedentary behavior with any form of movement. Even light-intensity activity provides significant health-related benefits, with small amounts of PA contributing to improved overall health [77]. For example, a study of recreational handball players aged 33-55 reported that 75% of game time was spent standing or walking, 27% was classified as MVPA, and only 10% was spent in vigorous-intensity PA [26]. Comparatively, in this study, basketball players demonstrated higher engagement in MVPA, and more specifically, G1 recorded 38.3%, G2 30.9%, and G3 26.6%, with G1 also achieving 15.7% of the time in vigorous-intensity PA, G2 achieving 10.5%, and G3 8.3%. These findings suggest that basketball matches, even among older athletes, may involve a higher proportion of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity activities compared to other recreational sports, potentially reflecting differences in game dynamics and physical demands. Studies on other recreational sports further illustrate the variability in PA metrics. In recreational walking football, HR measurements combined with HR reserve (HRR) revealed alternating light- and moderate-intensity activities, with occasional peaks of vigorous intensity in older adults with type 2 diabetes [16]. Another study using HR, GPS, and RPE metrics estimated that a 40 min WS match corresponds to moderate-intensity PA [15].