Preprint · Mar 5, 2025
A novel gamified exercise program incorporating stampede training enhances functional fitness, physical activity levels, and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults (Preprint)
By Huang SF, Fan C, Nisrina DK et al.
BACKGROUND With the growing prevalence of aging populations, improving the health and quality of life of older adults has become a critical concern globally. In this context, sports technology presents promising applications. With technological advancements, traditional fitness programs may no longer completely address the specific needs of older adults. The exergame-based training mat—an interactive exercise technology—integrates gamification with diverse training designs, offering a safe and engaging approach to promoting health and well-being in older adults. OBJECTIVE To examine the impact of a novel exergame-based mat training on community-dwelling older adults, particularly evaluating its effectiveness in enhancing physical activity levels, quality of life, and functional fitness. METHODS This parallel experimental study enrolled 30 older adults aged 60 to 80 years from Taipei City. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group underwent a 10-week-long exergame-based mat training, consisting of two sessions per week (70 min/session), using gamified, group-based exercise training. The control group maintained their usual daily activities. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), the Senior Fitness Test, and the AFAscan fitness assessment to evaluate changes in physical activity levels, quality of life, and functional fitness. RESULTS The experimental group demonstrated significantly increased overall and high-intensity physical activity levels (t(28)=2.18, p = .038). Quality of life significantly enhanced across the physical (p = .013), psychological (p = .015), and social (p = .017) domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. Furthermore, functional fitness parameters, including upper limbs muscular strength (t(28)=2.92, p = .007), lower limbs muscular strength (t(28)=2.70, p = .012), core strength (t(28)=5.18, p < .0001), lower limb flexibility (t(28)=2.85, p = .008), dynamic balance (t(28)=2.29, p = .03), static balance (t(28)=3.06, p = .005), agility (t(28)=3.93, p = .001), and cardiorespiratory endurance (t(28)=2.13, p = .042), showed significant enhancements with the exergame-based mat training program. CONCLUSIONS The exergame-based mat training significantly improved functional fitness, physical activity levels, and quality of life among older adults. These findings support the implementation of mat-based exercise programs as a practical community health promotion strategy, potentially facilitating the prevention of age-related frailty and enhancing the quality of life and overall well-being among older adults. CLINICALTRIAL This study was reviewed and approved by the Fu Jen Catholic University Institutional Review Board (IRB # C112161) per ethical guidelines for human research.