JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Acute exercises that are experienced as enjoyable have been shown to improve mood and might support the uptake of regular physical activity. Immersive virtual reality (VR) exergaming provides such positive experiences in young adults. Whether middle-aged and older adults who might suffer from movement restrictions also perceive a VR exergaming session as enjoyable and positive is less clear.

Objective:

We examined whether one session of immersive VR exergaming alters actual state affect, enjoyment of physical activity, self-efficacy and blood pressure in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods:

Thirty-eight adults (62±5 years of age, range 55-79, 20 women) with and without self-reported movement restrictions played 6 songs in a 20-minute VR exergaming session using commercial VR exergames. Negative and positive state affect, enjoyment of physical activity, and blood pressure were assessed before and after exergaming. Self-efficacy related to the exergaming task was assessed before the 1st, and both after the 3rd and the 6th song. Repeated measures ANOVAs with movement restrictions as between-subjects factor controlling for technology affinity and habitual frequency of physical activity were run for each dependent variable.

Results:

At baseline the 9 participants with movement restrictions had a higher negative affect, and lower positive affect, enjoyment of physical activity and self-efficacy than those without restrictions (all p-values <.05). All participants completed the session and motion sickness was negligible. Significant interactions time ⨉ movement restrictions revealed both a stronger decrease in negative affect (F(1, 33)=19.91, p<.001, partial η2=0.38) and stronger increases in enjoyment of physical activity (F(1, 33)=18.56, p<.001, partial η2=0.36) and self-efficacy (F(2, 33)=3.73, p=.035, partial η2=0.10) in participants with movement restrictions compared with participants without such problems independent of covariates. Univariable significant increases in positive affect were attenuated after controlling for technology affinity and habitual physical activity (F(1, 33)=3.67, p=.064, partial η2=0.10), each of which was significantly related to a more positive affect at baseline. Systolic blood pressure decreased in all participants (F(1, 33)=8.60, p=.006, partial η2=0.20).

Conclusions:

Immersive VR exergaming is feasible for middle-aged and older adults. Playing 6 songs reduced systolic blood pressure and provided a positive experience of acute physical activity for all. In persons with self-reported movement restrictions it diminished barriers such as negative affect, low enjoyment of physical activity and low self-efficacy.