General fitness
Darts Players don’t run or make fast, frequent movements, but need stamina because games can be long. Standing strengthens the lower back and legs: one study shows that players take 3,700 steps a match.
3 stars
Snooker Many different muscles are involved in playing snooker, particularly in the arms and torso. Exceptional motor skills in terms of judgment and muscle control are required.
3 stars
Mental agility
Darts Like other “target” sports such as shooting and archery, focus is everything. Players have to zero in on small spaces, knowing that even a tiny error in angle will send the dart into a useless, no-points land.
4 stars
Snooker Requires a huge amount of concentration, a firm belief that each shot is moving towards winning a frame, and good hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness to pot balls and control cue ball.
5 stars
Injuries
Darts “Darts-thrower’s elbow” is a medical condition recognised in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Lactic acid can also accumulate in the throwing arm. “Dartitis” is cramp caused by repetition.
2 stars
Snooker Injury is rare, though, as with any repetitive sport, there is a risk of repetitive compound injury – the hips, back, elbows, shoulders and, particularly, neck are most vulnerable.
5 stars
Social and emotional benefits
Darts There are an estimated 7.6 million darts aficionados in the UK, and the sport – recognised by the UK sports councils since 2005 – has no age, gender, class, race or disability barriers.
5 stars
Snooker Snooker is extremely social, too, and players also talk of the emotional satisfaction involved in the game, particularly smashing the cue into a ball.
4 stars
Gear
Darts The sport is low-cost – a good dartboard costs less than £40, and another £20 will buy a set of five tungsten darts with flights. Club membership starts from as little as £3 a year.
5 stars
Snooker Cheap: Stephen Hendry won seven world titles with a cue that cost £40. The best ones cost about £500, but a good one can be bought for £100. Club membership is usually around £10 a year.
5 stars
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