Barack Obama gives rare update on his health as he says he doesn't 'look as good' as wife Michelle

Barack Obama has spoken about his health, joking that he may be staying off the basketball court for the moment.

The former president and former first lady Michelle Obama sat down for an in-depth interview with PEOPLE, where they spoke about how they try to keep fit these days after Michelle's 'Let's Move' campaign.

And while they're both keeping active, the former president revealed that one thing in particular has meant that he is having to be a bit more careful sometimes.

Obama, 64, confided that despite being a big fan of basketball, he won't be participating in any games in the new Home Court at the Obama Presidential Center.

"I am not running up and down that court because I want to protect my knees and my Achilles. I don't want to be in a boot," he told PEOPLE.

He added: "I'm in good shape if I'm just running north-south. You start getting me sideways and I start worrying about something kind of going [wrong]."

Nonetheless he did say he won't be off the court entirely, saying: "Now I will take folks on for a game of Horse. We can have some shooting contests."

Barack and Michelle Obama at the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Obama went on to open up about his health.

"I feel good, I mean look, I don't look as good as her," he said, indicating his wife sitting next to him.

Michelle insisted otherwise though, telling him 'of course you do', insisting that 'it's because you don't dye your hair', which the former president said was 'too much trouble'.

But it's not just the basketball court that Obama is looking at either with Michelle getting more into tennis, her husband saying that she's 'gotten very good', though he doesn't join her so much lately.

"He's got to stretch out those calves or he's going to pop something," said the former first lady.

"Don't want to do that," Obama said, "I don't want to pop nothing."

Obama gives a speech at the center's opening (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

It comes following the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago earlier this month.

The sprawling center is located on the South Side in Chicago, and includes a museum, sports and community facilities, as well as projects around digitizing Obama's presidential library.

In a speech at the center's opening, the former president said: "We wanted it to be a vibrant, living celebration of community, where we can learn together and share the joys of art and music and sport and play, because it’s in those moments that we’re reminded of our common humanity and strengthen the bonds of trust that not only make our lives richer, but make our democracy stronger."