Older Adults’ Physical Activity and Exergames: A Systematic Review

Kappen, Dennis L.; Mirza-Babaei, Pejman; Nacke, Lennart E.

doi:10.1080/10447318.2018.1441253

Cited by 154 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Depending on the applied technology, exergame training might be conducted in an in-home setting that overcomes accessibility barriers (51). In general, exergame training has been shown to improve both, cognitive functions (mainly executive functions) (52,53) and physical functions (cardiovascular or musculoskeletal system) depending on the physical components and exercises that are integrated in the training (e.g., stepping or cycling) (54)(55)(56). Compared to traditional cognitive or physical training (e.g., aerobic training), exergaming seems to be equally or slightly more effective for cognitive enhancement in older adults (52,53).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of an In-home Multicomponent Exergame Training on Physical Functions, Cognition, and Brain Volume of Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

et al. 2020

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Aging is associated with a decline in physical functions, cognition and brain structure. Considering that human life is based on an inseparable physical-cognitive interplay, combined physical-cognitive training through exergames is a promising approach to counteract age-related impairments. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of an in-home multicomponent exergame training on [i] physical and cognitive functions and [ii] brain volume of older adults compared to a usual care control group. Thirty-seven healthy and independently living older adults aged 65 years and older were randomly assigned to an intervention (exergame training) or a control (usual care) group. Over 16 weeks, the participants of the intervention group absolved three home-based exergame sessions per week (à 30-40 min) including Tai Chi-inspired exercises, dancing and step-based cognitive games. The control participants continued with their normal daily living. Pre-and post-measurements included assessments of physical (gait parameters, functional muscle strength, balance, aerobic endurance) and cognitive (processing speed, short-term attention span, working memory, inhibition, mental flexibility) functions. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was conducted to assess brain volume. Thirty-one participants (mean age = 73.9 ± 6.4 years, range = 65-90 years, 16 female) completed the study. Inhibition and working memory significantly improved postintervention in favor of the intervention group [inhibition: F (1) = 2.537, p = 0.046, n 2 p = 0.11, working memory: F (1) = 5.872, p = 0.015, n 2 p = 0.02]. Two measures of short-term attentional span showed improvements after training in favor of the control group [F (1) = 4.309, p = 0.038, n 2 p = 0.03, F (1) = 8.504, p = 0.004, n 2 p = 0.04]. No significant training effects were evident for physical functions or brain volume. Both groups exhibited a significant decrease in gray matter volume of frontal areas and the hippocampus over time. The findings indicate a positive influence of exergame training Adcock et al. Effects of Exergame Training in Older Adults on executive functioning. No improvements in physical functions or brain volume were evident in this study. Better adapted individualized training challenge and a longer training period are suggested. Further studies are needed that assess training-related structural brain plasticity and its effect on performance, daily life functioning and healthy aging.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of an In-home Multicomponent Exergame Training on Physical Functions, Cognition, and Brain Volume of Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

et al. 2020

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“…So far, the one real long term user of the game has found both important; the activity tracking needed to reflect the whole day activity -it wasn't just enough to provide feedback related to the game. Exergames potentially come closer to what we have been attempting to do, although exergames typically involve more focused activity and virtual environments [5]. Thus, we find it appropriate to discuss our design using the "gameflow" model [13], which has the following components:…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Walk after stroke

Magnusson

Rassmus-Gröhn

Rydeman

et al. 2018

Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction With Mobile Devices and Services Adjunct

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“…As relatively new technological tools, exergames are increasingly being used as an alternative to conventional rehabilitation-based exercises to improve daily PA levels and increase physical fitness in older adults [52]. Research showed that older adults exposed to exergame training are able to improve a variety of physical functions, such as balance control, cardiorespiratory fitness, and gait speed, among others [53,54]. Exergame programs also provide light-intensity exercises and elicit significantly greater energy expenditure when compared with a resting state [55].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older Adults’ Perceptions of the Usefulness of Technologies for Engaging in Physical Activity: Using Focus Groups to Explore Physical Literacy

Campelo

Katz

2020

IJERPH

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Insufficient physical activity (PA) levels observed among older adults remain extremely high and pose a danger to developing and maintaining their physical literacy (PL). Each person’s level of PL partly depends on their physical and cognitive skills, confidence level, and degree of motivation to practice PA daily. New technologies, such as exergames and wearable fitness trackers, may enable older adults to increase their PL, stimulating uptake and ongoing PA participation. Objective: This focus group study aims to describe older adults’ perceptions of the use of technologies to engage in physical exercise programs. Methods: Fifteen participants were randomly selected from a sample of 40 older adults who completed a randomized controlled trial that investigated the benefits of using technology in the context of group-based exercise programs. Separate post-intervention focus groups were performed with an exergaming group, a conventional physical training group, and a no training group (control). Data were mapped onto constructs from the four domains of PL: affective, physical, cognitive, and behavioral. Results: Generally, participants expressed positive perceptions about the benefits of using technology to engage in PA. These positive feelings outweighed the costs and the lack of familiarization with technology. Common themes for the three groups emerged from the discussions and included familiarization with technology, using fitness tracker to monitor PA, previous exposure to technology, and interaction with peers, staff members, and relatives. In particular, participants from the exergaming group explored the ideas of training their cognitive skills while using the exergame accessories, exercising in an alternative way, competitive versus cooperative play, changes in sense of humor, skill transferability from game to real environment, progressions of the exercise intensities, and the potential use of exergames for rehabilitation. Conclusions: Participants in this study reported positive perceptions about implementing technology into exercise. Emphasizing the benefits of using technology in group-based exercise programs may increase older adults’ PL levels and their future technology adoption. The potential implementation of technology into conventional exercise programs should focus on older adults’ lifelong values, biopsychosocial conditions, and the possibility of reducing age-related risk of injuries and chronic diseases.

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Older Adults’ Physical Activity and Exergames: A Systematic Review

Cited by 154 publications

References 72 publications

Effects of an In-home Multicomponent Exergame Training on Physical Functions, Cognition, and Brain Volume of Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of an In-home Multicomponent Exergame Training on Physical Functions, Cognition, and Brain Volume of Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Walk after stroke

Older Adults’ Perceptions of the Usefulness of Technologies for Engaging in Physical Activity: Using Focus Groups to Explore Physical Literacy

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