Effect of a Virtual Reality Training Program (Exergaming) on the Motor Coordination of the Elderly

Aging is a process in which most of the physiological structures and functions of the body decline gradually. Therefore, there is a significant decrease in the elderly’s cognitive performance and motor skills. Physical activity and cognitive-motor interventions have been documented to be effective in attenuating the process of aging and improving the quality of life in this population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality exercises (exergaming) on the coordination of the elderly.
A total of 24 aged people (60-75 years old) were selected using available sampling and then randomly divided into two groups: experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 12). The experimental group performed virtual reality exercises for 9 weeks, 3 sessions per week for an hour. Hand-eye and foot-eye coordination were respectively tested using Purdue Pogboard and tandem walking coordination tests. Data were analyzed via SPSS (version 24) at the significance level of α=0.05.
The results demonstrated that virtual reality exercises had a significant effect on the coordination of the elderly. Prior to the intervention, the average scores of the tandem gait and Purdue Pogboard tests did not show any significant differences between the control and experimental groups, but a significant difference was found after the intervention.
According to the results of the present study, it seems that virtual reality exercises can be used as a new and highly attractive training method for improving the coordination of the elderly.