A serious game developed for physical rehabilitation of frail elderly

Abstract

Introduction Serious games (SG) have been used to increase the level of physical activity, balance training and muscle strength in older people with frailty syndrome (FS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an exercise program with a SG developed for the rehabilitation of older people. Materials and methods In this quasi-experimental study, 24 institutionalized older people with average (SD) age of 80.9 (5.6) years old (16 women) were distributed into two groups (experimental and control). The SG exercise program was conducted twice a week for three months (20 sessions of 15 to 25 minutes). The participants were evaluated in terms of mobility with the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), balance with the Functional Reach Test (FRT), and strength with dynamometer measurements of handgrip, upper and lower limbs. Results Only the experimental group showed significant changes in post-test measurements regarding functional mobility (TUG: d = −1.3, p = 10 −4 ), balance (FRT: d = 1.2, p = 0.003), and upper and lower limb strengths ( d = [0.2–0.6], p = [0.04–0.01]). Discussion–conclusion The results are in line with previous studies suggesting that the SG could integrate the therapeutic repertoire to increase the level of physical activity. Moreover, physical stimulation of older people with SG is a viable and interesting strategy to involve them in the rehabilitation process. The exercise program with the SG resulted in significant improvements in terms of balance, mobility and strength of large muscle groups of older people with FS. This SG has a potential for home or institutional use, since it is relatively safe, allows the training of important functions in older people and could help the stimulation and the monitoring of patients in treatment by the health team.