Effects of home-based exergaming on cardio-metabolic and cognitive health in physically inactive individuals.

AIMS: To examine the effects of a home-based exergame training over 6 weeks on cardio-metabolic and cognitive health, as well as training adherence, in physically inactive individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty participants were equipped with an exergame system specifically designed for use at home. Each participant performed at least three weekly exercise sessions at ≥80% of their individual maximum heart rate, over 6 weeks. Exercise duration increased biweekly until 75 min of vigorous exercise were performed in Weeks 5 and 6. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), cardio-metabolic profiling, and neuro-cognitive tests were performed at baseline and study end. Additionally, training adherence was assessed via training diaries. RESULTS: After 6 weeks of home-based exergaming, VO2max increased significantly, while there was a significant decrease in heart rate (resting and maximum), blood pressure (systolic, diastolic and mean), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Dynamic balance and reaction time improved after 6 weeks of exergaming. Training adherence was 88.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based exergaming induced a clinically relevant increase in VO2max, a determinant of cardiovascular health, accompanied by further improvements in cardiovascular, metabolic and neuro-cognitive parameters. Exergaming may, therefore, offer an innovative approach to increasing regular physical activity, improving metabolic risk profile, and preventing chronic diseases.

Development of a Novel Home-Based Exergame With On-Body Feedback: Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: With more than 1.4 billion adults worldwide classified as physically inactive, physical inactivity is a public health crisis leading to an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Motivating and engaging training strategies are needed to tackle this public health crisis. Studies have shown that exergames, games controlled by active body movements, are potentially usable, attractive, and effective tools for home-based training. The ExerCube (by Sphery Ltd) has been developed as a physically immersive and adaptive functional fitness game. The development of a home-based version of the ExerCube could increase accessibility, reduce barriers to exercise, and provide an attractive solution to improve physical and cognitive health. OBJECTIVE: The aim was threefold: (1) to develop a usable home-based exergame system, (2) to evaluate the usability and training experience of the home-based exergame and its early-stage on-body feedback system, and (3) to identify avenues for further user-centered design iterations of the system. METHODS: A total of 15 healthy participants (mean age 25, SD 3 years) completed 2 laboratory visits consisting of four 5-minute exergame sessions. In each session, the on-body feedback system provided a different feedback modality (auditory, haptic, and visual feedback) to the participant. Following the second visit, participants completed a range of assessments, including the System Usability Scale (SUS), the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), the Flow Short Scale (FSS), the Immersive Experience Questionnaire (IEQ), and a rating of perceived exertions (RPEs) both physically and cognitively. Participants answered questions regarding the on-body feedback system and completed a semistructured interview. RESULTS: Usability was rated as acceptable, with a SUS score of 70.5 (SD 12). The questionnaires revealed medium-to-high values for the training experience (FSS: 5.3, SD 1; PACES: 5.3, SD 1.1; IEQ: 4.7, SD 0.9. Physical (mean 4.8, SD 1.6) and cognitive (mean 3.9, SD 1.4) RPEs were moderate. Interviews about the on-body feedback system revealed that the majority of participants liked the haptic feedback and the combination of haptic and auditory feedback the best. Participants enjoyed the distinct perceptibility, processing, and integration of the exergame and its supportive and motivating effect. The visual feedback was perceived less positively by participants but was still classified as "potentially" helpful. The auditory feedback was rated well but highlighted an area for further improvement. Participants enjoyed the training experience and described it as motivating, interactive, immersive, something new, interesting, self-explanatory, as well as physically and cognitively challenging. Moreover, 67% (n=10) of the participants could imagine exercising at home and continuing to play the exergame in the future. CONCLUSIONS: The home-based exergame and its early-stage on-body feedback system were rated as usable and an enjoyable training experience by a young healthy population. Promising avenues emerged for future design iterations.

ExerG: adapting an exergame training solution to the needs of older adults using focus group and expert interviews.

BACKGROUND: Exergames are playful technology-based exercise programs. They train physical and cognitive functions to preserve independence in older adults (OAs) with disabilities in daily activities and may reduce their risk of falling. This study gathered in-depth knowledge and understanding of three different user groups' experiences in and relevant needs, worries, preferences, and expectations of technology-based training, to develop an exergame training device for OAs. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured focus group interviews of primary (OAs in geriatric or neurological rehabilitation) and secondary (health professionals) end users, as well as expert interviews of tertiary end users (health insurance experts or similar), exploring user perspectives on adjusting an existing exergame to OAs' needs. Voice-recorded interviews were transcribed by researchers and analyzed using thematic analysis (TA) following an inductive, data-driven, iterative approach. RESULTS: We interviewed 24 primary, 18 secondary, and 9 tertiary end users at two rehabilitation centers in Austria and Switzerland. Our TA approach identified five to six themes per user group. Themes in the primary end user group reflected aspects of safety, training goals, individuality, game environment, social interactions, and physical and technical overload. Themes in the secondary end user group comprised facets of meaningfulness, distraction through the game environment, safety, gamification elements, the availability and accessibility of the exergame. Tertiary end users' themes addressed aspects of financial reimbursement, suitable target populations, professional training for the handling of exergame devices, training goals, and concerns about the use of exergames in geriatric rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, an exergame for OAs must be safe, motivating and fully adaptable to the target group while promoting the return to or preservation of autonomy and independence in daily life. Our findings contribute to developing hard- and software extensions for the ExerG training device. Further research is needed to expand the validity of our findings to larger populations.