Effects of Exergaming on Cognition and Gait in Older Adults at Risk for Falling.

PURPOSE To test whether an 8-week exergaming (EG) program would improve cognition and gait characteristics compared to a traditional physical exercise (TPE) program in older adults at risk for falling. METHODS A pilot quasi-experimental study was conducted in adults aged ≥ 65 years at risk for falls, living in senior communities. Participants enrolled (N=35) in either exercise program offered twice weekly for 8 weeks. Cognition and single-task and dual-task gait characteristics were measured before and after the 8-week exercise intervention. For each outcome, a repeated measure ANCOVA adjusted for age, gender, and exercise intensity (ratings of perceived exertion, RPE) was used to examine the Group x Time interaction. RESULTS Twenty-nine participants (aged 77±7 yrs) completed either the EG program (n=15) or the TPE program (n=14). Statistically significant Group x Time interactions were observed in Trail Making Test Part A (TMT-A, p<0.05) and single-task gait speed, stride length, swing time percentage, and double support percentage (all p<0.05) and marginal group differences were observed in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, p=0.07), all favoring the EG program. There were no statistically significant group differences in dual-task gait measurements except for swing time percentage and double support percentage, favoring the EG program. CONCLUSIONS An 8-week EG program for older adults at risk for falls contributed to modest improvements in a number of cognitive measures and single-task but limited improvements in dual-task gait measures, compared to TPE. These findings support the need for larger trials to determine cognitive and mobility benefits related to exergaming.