Design of Virtual Reality Exergames for Upper Limb Stroke Rehabilitation Following Iterative Design Methods: Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Since the early 2000s, there has been a growing interest in using exercise video games (exergames) and virtual reality (VR)-based interventions as innovative methods to enhance physical rehabilitation for individuals with multiple disabilities. Over the past decade, researchers and exercise professionals have focused on developing specialized immersive exercise video games for various populations, including those who have experienced a stroke, revealing tangible benefits for upper limb rehabilitation. However, it is necessary to develop highly engaging, personalized games that can facilitate the creation of experiences aligned with the preferences, motivations, and challenges communicated by people who have had an episode of stroke. OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to explore the customization potential of an exergame for individuals who have undergone a stroke, concurrently evaluating its usability as a technological tool in the realm of physical therapy and rehabilitation. METHODS: We introduce a playtest methodology to enhance the design of a VR exergame developed using a user-centered approach for upper limb rehabilitation in stroke survivors. Over 4 playtesting sessions, stroke survivors interacted with initial game versions using VR headsets, providing essential feedback for refining game content and mechanics. Additionally, a pilot study involving 10 stroke survivors collected data through VR-related questionnaires to assess game design aspects such as mechanics, assistance, experience, motion sickness, and immersion. RESULTS: The playtest methodology was beneficial for improving the exergame to align with user needs, consistently incorporating their perspectives and achieving noteworthy results. The pilot study revealed that users had a positive response. In the first scenario, a carpenter presents a game based on the flexion-extension movement of the elbow; the second scenario includes a tejo game (a traditional Colombian throwing game) designed around game mechanics related to the flexion-extension movement of the shoulder; and in the third scenario, a farmer challenges the player to perform a movement combining elbow flexion and extension with internal and external rotation of the shoulder. These findings suggest the potential of the studied exergame as a tool for the upper limb rehabilitation of individuals who have experienced a stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of exergames in rehabilitation for stroke-induced hemiparesis has significantly benefited the recovery process by focusing on essential shoulder and elbow movements. These interactive games play a crucial role in helping users regain mobility and restore practical use of affected limbs. They also serve as valuable data sources for researchers, improving the system's responsiveness. This iterative approach enhances game design and markedly boosts user satisfaction, suggesting exergames have promising potential as adjunctive elements in traditional therapeutic approaches.

Health Care Professional-Supported Co-Design of a Mime Therapy-Based Serious Game for Facial Rehabilitation.

This research letter presents the co-design process for RG4Face, a mime therapy-based serious game that uses computer vision for human facial movement recognition and estimation to help health care professionals and patients in the facial rehabilitation process.

Effects of twelve weeks of dance Exergames on the quality-of-life variables of elderly Brazilian women enrolled in a community program.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Exercise-based interventions can be a safe alternative to improve and maintain physical and mental health during the aging process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week training program with Dance Exergames on the mood and functional fitness profile of elderly women. METHODS: The sample (n = 22) was divided into Exergames (EG, n = 9, 70.6 ± 1.6 years) and Control Groups (CG, n = 13, 73.6 ± 2.2 years). Evaluations were carried out before and after the interventions. Each participant played, in pairs, the electronic game Dance Central 3, with the XBOX 360 Kinect console (Slim, Microsoft, USA). The EG trained for 12 weeks (24 sessions), with two weekly sessions of 50 min and the CG performed manual activities workshops. RESULTS: In functional fitness, both exercise training with exergame (EG) and the intervention model for the CG did not produce significant effects regarding interaction (group*time). Mood state presented significant effect of time intervention regarding tension (p = <0.001), depression (p = 0.001), anger (p = 0.030), fatigue (p = 0.001), and mental confusion (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Twelve weeks of training with a dance exergame (for, EG) and manual activities (for, CG) is enough to promote improvements in the mood state of healthy elderly women. This is an interesting result, as it shows that social interaction is as important a component as improving functional capacity.

The impact of Exergames on emotional experience: a systematic review.

Background: Gamification has proven to be a significant tool for health promotion, with a particular focus on physical activities such as Exergames, which improve not only physical, but also cognitive health. However, it is still not clear what effect the practice of Exergames has on changing the emotional experience. Purpose: The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the impact of Exergames training on emotional experience. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the PUBMED and SCOPUS databases. The relevant articles were screened independently by three researchers. Data concerning emotional measures and Exergame practice were extracted for analysis. Results: The search yielded 38 articles, of which 16 were included. Exergames were found to significantly impact happiness, anxiety, depressive symptoms, mental health-related quality of life, self-worth, self-esteem, self-efficacy, perceived behavioral control, vigor, vitality, intrinsic motivation, perceived energy, and relaxation. Conclusion: Our review supports the evidence that the practice of physical activity through Exergames, on the emotional experience generally generates an increase in positive emotions. In this sense, the results found support both the use of Exergames as a leisure activity that promotes wellbeing and emotional regulation, as well as for health promotion, public health, and clinical practice purposes. Our review strongly supports the notion that engaging in physical activity through Exergames generally leads to an increase in positive emotions. As a result, these findings endorse the utilization of Exergames as a leisure activity to promote well-being and emotional regulation. Moreover, Exergames hold potential for health promotion, public health, and clinical practice purposes.

Exergames in Older Adult Community Centers and Nursing Homes to Improve Balance and Minimize the Risk of Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

There is a substantial gap in our knowledge regarding the efficacy of exergames on the reduction of fall risk in older adults. This systematic review analyzes the findings of clinical trials describing the efficacy of exergames to improve balance or reduce the risk of falls in individuals above 60 years of age who are residents in community centers or nursing homes. We searched Google Scholar, PubMed, and Embase up to January 2023. Initially, 52,294 records were screened. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 20 studies were included in this systematic review. Meta-analyses revealed statistically significant reductions in the risk of falls and improvements in balance. Exergaming tended to produce positive benefits according to the results obtained using different instruments (TUG, PPA, BBS, and others), control groups, and times of intervention. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion of studies exhibited a high risk of bias and only one had a long follow-up period. Although a large body of evidence supports the view that exergaming is suitable for reducing fall risk and improving balance in older adults, some gaps remain in our knowledge about such benefits.

Effects of exergaming on the microcirculation of adolescents with overweight or obesity-a clinical trial efficacy.

To assess the effect of exergaming on the microcirculation function of adolescents with overweight or obesity, this non-randomized clinical trial efficacy was conducted with 61 adolescents aged between 10 and 16 years. The intervention group (n = 31) performed exergaming three times per week for 8 weeks. Both groups received guidelines for a healthy diet and staying physically active. Microcirculation was assessed using a laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) at baseline and after intervention. Primary outcomes derived from LDF assessment included resting flow, maximum flow, maximum/resting flow ratio, area under hyperemia, and post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH). Secondary outcomes were body mass index and systemic blood pressure. Unpaired Student's t test compared intergroup analyses, and paired Student's t test compared intragroup analyses. The significance was set at 5%. Statistical analysis intergroup and intragroup was done by fitting a two-way mixed effects model. Microcirculation was similar between groups. Maximum flow (109.0 ± 38.3 versus 124.6 ± 43.0, P = 0.022), area under hyperemia (1614 ± 472 versus. 1755 ± 461, P = 0.023), and PORH (2.18 ± 0.49 versus 2.01 ± 0.52, P = 0.031) were statistically different after intervention. Body mass index decreased in intervention (24.5 ± 3.8-24.1 ± 4.0 kg/m2, P = 0.002) and control (25.2 ± 3.2-25.1 ± 3.3 kg/m2, P = 0.031) groups. Systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the intervention group (110 ± 10-106 ± 9 mm Hg; P = 0.041) but not diastolic blood pressure (66.0 ± 7-68.8 ± 8 mm Hg; P = 0.089). Exergaming for 8 weeks led to improvements in the microcirculation function in adolescents with overweighed or obesity. Clinical trials: NTC03532659.

The impact of virtual reality on manual dexterity of Parkinson's disease subjects: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To present the latest available evidence on the effects of a VR-based therapy on the manual dexterity of PD subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and PEDro databases. Were included in the systematic review Randomized Clinical Trials, Pilot and Feasibility studies published up to December 2020. The studies should include at least one of the following assessments: Box and Blocks Test, 9-Hole Peg Test; Purdue Pegboard Test. PEDro Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. RESULTS: Eight studies were included in the review. Most studies have shown an improvement in outcomes for manual dexterity, but most of them presented a high risk of bias with low methodological quality. A high heterogeneity was observed in the protocols used for each study. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that VR-based therapy has great potential and feasibility to be used as a manual dexterity rehabilitation protocol in PD subjects. However, these results must be interpreted carefully and studies with greater methodological rigor must be conducted.Implications For RehabilitationRehabilitation programs using virtual reality seem to have greater adherence to the user.Immersive virtual reality systems seem to do better in manual dexterity than non-immersive systems.It is plausible to use virtual reality systems in telerehabilitation for manual dexterity training in subjects with Parkinson's' Disease.The use of Virtual Reality by the therapist in a rehabilitation program allows him to modulate the exercises, enabling a wide variety of therapeutic options.

Motor Rehabilitation of Upper Limbs Using a Gesture-Based Serious Game: Evaluation of Usability and User Experience.

Objective: Gesture-based serious games can be based on playful and interactive scenarios to enhance user engagement and experience during exercises, thereby increasing efficiency in the motor rehabilitation process. This study aimed to develop the Rehabilite Game (RG) as a complementary therapy tool for upper limb rehabilitation in clinics and home environments and to evaluate aspects of usability and user experience of it. Materials and Methods: The evaluation consisted of the use of a gesture-based serious game with motor rehabilitation sessions managed in a web platform. Thirty-three participants were recruited (21 physiotherapists and 12 patients). The protocol allowed each participant to have the experience of playing sessions with different combinations of settings. The User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) was used to evaluate aspects of usability and user experience. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Board of the Federal University of Piaui (number 3,429,494). Results: The level of satisfaction with the RG was positive, with an excellent Net Promoter Score for 85.7% of physiotherapists and 100% of patients. All six UEQ scales (attractiveness, perspicuity, efficiency, dependability, stimulation, and novelty) reflected acceptance. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that, according to the results obtained in the experiments, the RG had positive feedback from physiotherapists and patients, indicating that the game can be used in a clinical trial to be compared with other rehabilitation techniques.

Do fundamental movement skills, physical activity and enjoyment among inactive student during the covid-19 era improve after exergame? / Habilidades fundamentais de movimento, atividade física e prazer em estudantes inativos durante a pandemia de covid-19 melhoram após o exergame?

ABSTRACT The low fundamental movement skills, physical activity and enjoyment students in the COVID-19 era are gaps in this study. This study aims to examine the effects of exergame on fundamental movement skills, physical activity and enjoyment in among inactive students during the COVID-19 era. Quantitative research with experimental methods was used in this study. There were 26 children allocated to the exergame group (n=13; age: 7.20±1.30 years; height: 1.38±2.38 cm; weight: 31.60±4.50 kg and a control group n=13; age: 7.40±1.14 years; height: 1.36±3.08 cm; weight: 28.40±3.43 kg). The intervention program was conducted for nine weeks. Fundamental movement skills children were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition and physical activity was measured using the ActiGraph GT9X Link accelerometer, while enjoyment was assessed using the physical education curriculum enjoyment scale. The results showed that the implementation of exergame was proven to improve fundamental movement skills, physical activity and enjoyment significantly, however there was no increase in the control group. This research is evidence that exergame is an effective tool to improve fundamental movement skills, physical activity and enjoyment in students during the COVID-19 era.

RESUMO As baixas habilidades fundamentais de movimento, atividade física e diversão dos alunos da era COVID-19 são lacunas neste estudo. Este estudo tem como objetivo examinar os efeitos do exergame nas habilidades fundamentais de movimento, atividade física e diversão em alunos inativos durante a era COVID-19. Pesquisa quantitativa com métodos experimentais foi utilizada neste estudo. Havia 26 crianças alocadas no grupo exergame (n = 13; idade: 7,20 ± 1,30 anos; altura: 1,38 ± 2,38 cm; peso: 31,60 ± 4,50 kg e um grupo controle n = 13; idade: 7,40 ± 1,14 anos; altura : 1,36 ± 3,08 cm; peso: 28,40 ± 3,43 kg). O programa de intervenção durou nove semanas. As crianças com habilidades fundamentais de movimento foram avaliadas usando Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition e a atividade física foi medida usando o acelerômetro ActiGraph GT9X Link, enquanto o prazer foi avaliado usando a escala de prazer do currículo de educação física. Os resultados mostraram que a implementação do exergame demonstrou melhorar significativamente as habilidades fundamentais de movimento, atividade física e prazer. No entanto, não houve aumento no grupo controle. Esta pesquisa é uma evidência de que o exergame é uma ferramenta eficaz para melhorar as habilidades fundamentais de movimento, atividade física e diversão em alunos durante a era COVID-19.

Kinesiotherapy With Exergaming as a Potential Modulator of Epigenetic Marks and Clinical Functional Variables of Older Women: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Kinesiotherapy is an option to mitigate worsening neuropsychomotor function due to human aging. Moreover, exergames are beneficial for the practice of physical therapy by older patients. Physical exercise interventions are known to alter the epigenome, but little is known about their association with exergames. OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the effects of kinesiotherapy with exergaming on older women's epigenetic marks and cognitive ability, as well as on their clinical functional variables. Our hypothesis states that this kind of therapy can elicit equal or even better outcomes than conventional therapy. METHODS: We will develop a virtual clinic exergame with 8 types of kinesiotherapy exercises. Afterward, we will conduct a 1:1 randomized clinical trial to compare the practice of kinesiotherapy with exergames (intervention group) against conventional kinesiotherapy (control group). A total of 24 older women will be enrolled for 1-hour sessions performed twice a week, for 6 weeks, totaling 12 sessions. We will assess outcomes using epigenetic blood tests, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test, the Timed Up and Go test, muscle strength grading in a hydraulic dynamometer, and the Game Experience Questionnaire at various stages. RESULTS: The project was funded in October 2019. Game development took place in 2020. Patient recruitment and a clinical trial are planned for 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Research on this topic is likely to significantly expand the understanding of kinesiotherapy and the impact of exergames. To the best of our knowledge, this may be one of the first studies exploring epigenetic outcomes of exergaming interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry/Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC) RBR-9tdrmw; https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-9tdrmw. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/32729.

Exergame training-induced neuroplasticity and cognitive improvement in institutionalized older adults: A preliminary investigation.

BACKGROUND: Prior research has reported cognitive improvements in elderly individuals when mental and physical exercise are practiced simultaneously, as in exergaming. However, the molecular mechanisms driving this beneficial response remain unclear. Moreover, there is robust evidence that regular exercise increases neurotrophic factors and promotes neuroplasticity, contributing to cognitive improvement. This research aimed to assess the impact of a 6-week Xbox 360 Kinect exergame protocol on cognitive function and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in institutionalized older individuals. METHODS: Participants living in a long-term care facility were included. The intervention (Xbox 360 Kinect exergame protocol) was conducted individually and consisted of two sessions per week (40 min each) over 6 weeks. Participants' cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) was evaluated before and after the intervention. Blood samples (15 ml) were collected at the same time to measure BDNF levels. RESULTS: Although there were no changes in total MoCA scores, exergame training improved the "language" domain and demonstrated a tendency toward an improvement in the "abstraction" and "memory/delayed recall" domains. Furthermore, BDNF levels were significantly increased after the intervention. CONCLUSION: BDNF enhancement might mediate, at least in part, the cognitive changes induced by a 6-week Xbox 360 Kinect exergame protocol in institutionalized older adults.

Personalized Tracking of Physical Activity in Children Using a Wearable Heart Rate Monitor.

Serious games are video games that are intended to support learning while entertaining. They are considered valuable tools to improve user-specific skills or facilitate educational or therapeutic processes, especially in children. One of the disadvantages of computer games, in general, is their promotion of sedentary habits, considered as a significant risk factor for developing diseases such as obesity and hypertension. Exergames are serious games created to overcome the disadvantages of traditional computer games by promoting physical activity while playing. This study describes the development and evaluation of an adaptive component to monitor physical activity in children while using an exergame. The system is based on wearable technology to measure heart rate and perform real-time customizations in the exergame. To evaluate the adaptive component, an experiment was conducted with 30 children between 5 and 7 years of age, where the adaptive system was contrasted with a conventional interactive system (an exergame without adaptive component). It was demonstrated that the computer game, using the adaptive component, was able to change in real-time some of its functionalities based on the user characteristics. Increased levels of heart rate and caloric expenditure were significant in some of the game scenarios using the adaptive component. Although a formal user experience evaluation was not performed, excellent game playability and adherence by users were observed.

The Effects of Different Exergame Intensity Training on Walking Speed in Older Women.

Objective: It is not known if the intensity in which exergames are performed can change gait parameters at different walking speeds. This study was designed to determine if a training program based on exergame exercises performed at different intensities (moderate vs. vigorous) influences walking speed and gait parameters in older adult women. Methods: After applying the inclusion criteria, 20 participants (69.5 ± 5.4 years) were randomized into two groups: moderate (11-13 perceived exertion) and vigorous (14-16 perceived exertion). Walking speed and gait parameters at self-selected walking speed (SSWS) and maximal walking speed (MWS) were evaluated before and after 3 months of exergame training. The walking speed and gait parameters were measured with an instrumented walkway. The walking speed reserve (WSR) was calculated as a difference and ratio. Results: There was pre-to-post effect of walking speed at self-selected walking pace (pre = 112.1 ± 16.4 cm.s-1; post = 124.8 ± 16.4 cm.s-1), in WSR calculated as ratio (pre = 1.35 ± 0.08; post = 1.28 ± 0.09), in a number of gait parameters at SSWS (step length, stride length, stride velocity, step time, stride time, swing time, stance time, single support, double support, gait cycle time, and cadence) and at MWS (step time, stride time, swing time, single support, double support, gait cycle time, and cadence). Conclusion: Irrespective of the exercise intensity, exergame training improved walking speed only at a self-selected walking pace and some gait parameters at self-selected and MWS in older women.

Evaluation instruments for physical therapy using virtual reality in stroke patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapeutic rehabilitation is essential to improve functional mobility, muscular strength, balance and quality of life of stroke patients, but conventional techniques using repeated physical activities can soon become monotonous. The use of virtual reality (VR) in rehabilitation offers a possible alternative to the traditional methods of promoting improvements in muscle strength and balance. However, there is not yet consensus about which instruments should be used to assess the effectiveness of VR in stroke rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review to identify the types of evaluation tools used for different VR interventions to rehabilitate stroke patients, considering balance, strength, function, quality of life, cognition and motivation. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE-PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Lilacs and IEEE Xplore was undertaken. STUDY SELECTION: Studies on stroke patients who had undergone VR therapy and an assessment of its effectiveness using evaluative instruments. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Data were extracted by a single reviewer using standardised forms, and were checked by a second reviewer. The extracted information included study design, number of participants, type of stroke, items that were evaluated (balance, muscle strength, functional evaluation), console used, number of rehabilitation sessions, results and conclusions. RESULTS: In total, 1836 articles were identified; of these, 29 were included in this review after consideration of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selected articles rated one or more of the following factors: balance (n=12), grip strength (with or without devices for direct measurement) (n=8), functionality (n=12) and quality of life (n=12). LIMITATIONS: The full text of one article was not available, despite a request to the authors to send it via email. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS: The Berg Balance Scale, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment and the Stroke Impact Scale were the instruments used most frequently to assess balance, function and quality of life, respectively, in stroke patients who underwent rehabilitation using VR. Systematic review registration PROSPERO number: 87546.

Adaptation Component Based on Wearable Technology to Support Personalized Tracking of Physical Activity in Children.

Obesity is a chronic disease characterized by the accumulation of body fat. School-age children obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges since it progressively becomes a risk factor in adulthood. Recent studies and technological innovations have demonstrated the feasibility of game-based interventions for promoting physical activity among children. Nevertheless, there is a gap in fitting the system specifications to specific user profiles. This paper aims to present the development of an adaptation component for a particular exergame based on wearable technology that measures heart rate to support a personalized tracking system of the physical activity. The employed methodology was the General Adaptivity Model (GAM) that provides guidelines for the designing process of adaptivity models, incorporating user modeling and personalization in existing or new interactive systems. For validation purposes, an experiment was conducted at a primary school with thirty subjects aged between five to seven years to test the effectiveness of a user adaptive system against a conventional interactive system for the promotion of physical activity. Results indicate that the developed system was able to change its behavior according to the variations of the heart rate and therefore encouraging users to perform higher/lower physical activity levels.

Cardiovascular Response of an Acute Exergame Session in Prepubertal Obese Children.

PURPOSE: We aimed to analyze the acute autonomic response of obese and eutrophic prepubertal boys to an exergame (EXG) session. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Nine eutrophic (8.89 ± 2.71 years of age and 16.42% ± 6.30% body fat) and nine obese boys (8.70 ± 1.16 years of age and 40.76% ± 4.2% body fat) participated. Nutritional state was determined using World Health Organization guidelines. Variables were collected at rest, immediately post (IP), and 60 minutes after a 20 minutes EXG session. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity was assessed using heart rate variability in time and frequency domains, and data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk and ANOVA tests with Tukey post hoc. RESULTS: The obese group demonstrated an increased sympathetic activity at rest when compared with the eutrophic group (P < 0.05). The obese group also demonstrated an increased parasympathetic activity 60 minutes after the EXG session when compared with the eutrophic group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that an acute session of EXG promoted ANS super compensation. We encourage research on chronic ANS response to EXG.

A vivência da tarefa motora em ambiente virtual e real: estudo da devolução do saque do tênis de mesa / The experience of the motor task in a virtual environment and real: study of the return of serve tennis table / La experiencia de la tarefa motora en un estorno virtual y real: estudio de la devolución del saque no tenis de mesa

A utilização de realidade virtual está cada vez mais presente nas tarefas cotidianas.O objetivo deste estudo consistiu em analisar a vivência da tarefa motora em ambiente virtual e real envolvendo a devolução do saque do tênis de mesa. Participaram do estudo 24 crianças que foram aleatoriamente divididas em Grupo Virtual (GV) e Grupo Real (GR). No GV os sujeitos praticaram a tarefa virtual e depois real, no GR os sujeitos praticaram somente a tarefa real. Os resultados indicaram que houve uma superioridade no desempenho daquelas que executaram em um ambiente virtual(p<0,004). Conclui-se que ocorreu a transferência de aprendizagem do ambiente virtual para o real no GV.

The use of virtual reality is increasingly present in everyday tasks. The objective of this study is to analyze the experience of the motor task in a virtual and real environment involving the return of serve tennis table. The study included 24 children who were randomly divided into Virtual Group (VG) and Real Group (RG). In the VG the participants performed the virtual task first and then the real task. In the RG the participants performedonly the real task. The results indicated that the performance of the participants performing in a virtual environment was superior than the other group (p<0,004). We conclude that the transfer of learning from the virtual environment to the real occurred inthe VG.

El uso de la realidad virtual está cada vez más presente en las tareas cotidianas. El objetivode este estudio es analizar la experiencia de una tarea motora en un entorno virtual yreal la utilizando la devolución del saque do tenis de mesa. El estudio incluyó 24 niños que fueron divididos aleatoriamente en Grupo Virtual (GV) y Grupo Real (GR). Los sujetos GV practicaron la tarea virtual y luego la real. Los sujetos GR practicaron sólo la tareareal. Los resultados indicaron que había un rendimiento mayor en los niños que habíanrealizado la tarea en un entorno virtual (p<0,004). Por lo tanto concluimos que se produjola transferencia de aprendizaje do entorno virtual para el real ocurrido no GV.

Hemodynamic responses of unfit healthy women at a training session with nintendo wii: a possible impact on the general well-being.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was assess the effect of a training session with Nintendo Wii® on the hemodynamic responses of healthy women not involved in regular physical exercise. METHOD: Twenty-five healthy unfit women aged 28 ± 6 years played for 10 minutes the game Free Run (Wii Fit Plus). The resting heart rate (RHR), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), and double (rate-pressure) product (DP) were measured before and after activity. The HR during the activity (exercise heart rate, EHR) was measured every minute. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was observed between the RHR (75 ± 9 bpm) and the mean EHR (176 ± 15 bpm) (P < 0.001). The EHR remained in the target zone for aerobic exercise until the fifth minute of activity, which coincided with the upper limit of the aerobic zone (80% heart rate reserve (HRR) + RHR) from the sixth to tenth minute. The initial (110 ± 8 mmHg) and final (145 ± 17 mmHg) SBP (P < 0.01) were significantly different, as were the initial (71 ± 8 mmHg) and final (79 ± 9 mmHg) DBP (P < 0.01). A statistically significant difference was observed between the pre- (8.233 ± 1.141 bpm-mmHg) and post-activity (25.590 ± 4.117 bpm-mmHg) DP (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Physical exercise while playing Free Run sufficed to trigger acute hemodynamic changes in healthy women who were not engaged in regular physical exercise.

Ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem na educação física: uma revisão sobre a utilização de Exergames / Virtual learning environments in physical education: a review of the use of Exergames

Ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem estão se difundindo nas diversas áreas do conhecimento e as chamadas Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação na Educação estão proporcionando novas formas de ensino e aprendizagem. Games, por exemplo, estão sendo usados para trabalhar habilidades cognitivas, atenção visual, memória e resolução de problemas em crianças. Recentemente, devido à possibilidade de utilização, com baixo custo, de tecnologias de percepção e atuação, surge uma nova classe de games denominada Exergame, exercício e game, proporcionando ao usuário o desenvolvimento de habilidades sensoriais e motoras propiciado por mecanismos de realidade virtual. Esta pesquisa bibliográfica teve como objetivo estabelecer um panorama geral sobre o contexto atual dos Exergames, apresentando os games que existem no mercado, suas características, aplicações e possibilidades de uso na Educação Física. As pesquisas encontradas foram classificadas em três grupos: aspectos fisiológicos; aspectos psicológicos e reabilitação, conforme a utilização de cada game. Exergames podem ser utilizados como ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem de novos movimentos, gestos desportivos ou simplesmente como ferramenta para aumentar o gasto calórico; sua utilização está relacionada ao entretenimento e a formas alternativas de exercício físico e sua inclusão ou não no ambiente escolar limita-se à capacitação dos professores para utilização da ferramenta em questão.