We often associate being a ‘gamer’ and playing video games with young people spending endless hours sitting in front of a computer, smartphone, or TV screen. But reality can be a little bit different. The love of immersing oneself in virtual landscapes in a bid to complete quests, build community, de-stress, and have fun is not limited to one age group or the couch (1;2). In fact, over 18 million Canadians play video games and nearly 22 million will be playing by 2030 (3). What’s more, there are active video games that get you up and moving. One category of active video games is ‘exergames’. That’s right, exercise plus games! Exergames have you engage in physical activity and use technology like motion sensors to track how your body is moving and relay information on how you’re doing (1;4;5).
Sounds like a fun way to exercise, right? Let’s not forget that fun is important, because incorporating exercises that we enjoy into our wider exercise routine can motivate us to get and stay physically active. This is especially valuable when we consider that less than half of Canadian adults are meeting recommended levels of physical activity (6).
For more insight into the health benefits of exergames, let’s turn to a systematic review that focuses on older adults playing a popular genre of exergame—dance exergames. These interactive games have players dancing to music, thereby engaging in lower and upper body movements (1).
What the research tells us
The review found that dance exergames may be a relatively safe strategy that’s easy to stick with. What’s more, it has the potential to improve several aspects of physical function in older adults. Areas of improvement may include:
- Dynamic balance: Staying balanced while moving around or changing positions.
- Choice stepping reaction time: Time it takes for a person to process a visual signal (i.e., a flashing light on the floor) and physically respond by stepping on it. It’s a test of decision-making/cognitive processing, reaction time, and balance.
- Movement time: Time it takes perform a movement that’s been initiated.
- Timed-up-and-go time: Time it takes for someone to complete a mobility and balance-related task or test.
While it’s good to note the positives, it’s also important to mention that dance exergames didn’t show impacts on other aspects of physical function and performance like static balance or cognitive and psychological outcomes. Given the limited research in this area thus far, more high-quality research that includes larger numbers of participants is needed to support these findings and the development of optimal dance exergames (1).
If you’re interested in dance exergames, remember though these are video games, you’re still exercising. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes, stretch and warm up your muscles, and remove any fall hazards or objects that may injure you from your surroundings, and have fun! With the help of your healthcare team, you can take into consideration your health goals, the level of supervision needed, and necessary modifications.
