Abstract
Abstract Digital games cannot only be used for fun and entertainment. The term “serious games” (SG) denotes digital games serving serious purposes like education, training, advertising, research and health. Recently, a new generation of games has emerged involving whole-body movements. Compared to traditional interventions, these games may help elderly people to improve their health by enhancing physical fitness and coordinative abilities by combining increased motivation, game experience like fun and game flow and training. Serious games, particularly adventure and shooter games, already play an important role in health education, prevention and rehabilitation, e.g. to enhance health-related physical activity, improve sensory–motor coordination, prevent asthma, change nutrition behaviour and alleviate diabetes and prevent smoking or HIV. In this paper, the impact of SG on prevention and rehabilitation is discussed. Three criteria are applied. Beyond effectivity and efficiency, the additional benefits of serious games can be described and explained by different models including social, psychological, physiological and sensory–motor factors. The quality of study serves as a third criterion. Despite first promising results, there are only few high-quality studies. Adequate content, game interfaces, sustainability and appropriate settings are critical factors for the success of SG. In this regard, (sport) science can help to develop and evaluate SG and test appropriate settings that ensure sustainable use of serious games.
Highlights
Digital games, i.e. games that are played on electronic devices working with microprocessors, are a widespread leisure activity which attracts children and youth and younger and older adults [10, 17]
Due to the scope of this journal, we focus on serious games” (SG) including physical activity neglecting the numerous SG aiming purely at cognitive or social functions
The results clearly show that the SG was a motivating experience with additional benefit only for a part of the sample
Summary
I.e. games that are played on electronic devices working with microprocessors, are a widespread leisure activity which attracts children and youth and younger and older adults [10, 17]. Digital games (i.e. video games, computer games and mobile games) are considered appropriate options to enhance cognitive, sensory–motor, emotional, personal and social competencies & Strength and flexibility (e.g. posture, range of motion) & Bone structure (e.g. prevention of osteoporosis) & Immune system (e.g. prevention of cancer) & Sensory–motor coordination (e.g. reaction, balance, fall prevention) & Cognitive system (e.g. memory, perception, calculating, prevention of dementia) Despite these positive effects of PA and RE, many elderly people do not engage sufficiently in sustained PA or RE, and respective health promotion programmes have not had the expected success [53, 60, 66].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
